Hair Loss and Polyposis in Cronkhite-Canada Syndrome

A 42-year-old woman was diagnosed with Cronkhite-Canada syndrome (CCS), a rare noninherited disease characterized by gastrointestinal non-neoplastic polyposis and ectodermal abnormalities, including alopecia. The patient presented with diarrhea, abdominal pain, and scalp hair loss. She was treated with 50 mg/d prednisone, which resolved her gastrointestinal symptoms in 1 month and alopecia in 6 months. The prednisone dosage was gradually reduced over 10 months and then discontinued. Two years after discontinuation, mild diarrhea recurred, and CCS recurrence was confirmed. However, four years have passed with no recurrence after discontinuation of the second prednisone course. The pathogenesis of hair loss in CCS is still unclear and requires further analysis.