1986 Volume 28 Issue 3 Pages 595-605
We reported two cases of Cronkhite-Canada syndrome. The first case was a 48-year-old male and the second case was a 53-year-old female . In both cases, generalized gastrointestinal polyposis, hypoproteinemia, skin pigmentation, onychodystrophy and alopecia were found. In addition, anorexia and loss of taste were present in both cases. Gastrointestinal polyposis was prominent in the stomach and colon with histologic findings of cyctic dilatation of glands and edema of the lamina propria. In case 1, after two months of enteral nutrition with low residue diet, marked improvement of clinical manifestations and decrease of polyps in number were found. In case 2, enteral nutrition using low residue diet or elemental diet had no effect. The combination therapy of total parenteral nutrition (TPN) and oral glucocorticoid administration had a good effect on improvement of clinical manifestations and reduction of polyposis. Serum level of tumor markers was measured in both cases. In case 1, CA 19-9, tissue polypeptide antigen (TPA) and immunosuppressive acidic protein (IAP) were increased on admission. After that, they decreased gradually. In case 2, transient increase of CEA, CA 19-9, TPA and elastase 1 was found in the hospital course.
