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Living with Carney-Stratakis syndrome

A rare family condition in which tumors form in the digestive tract and in nerve tissue, often in more than one place.

Understanding Carney-Stratakis syndrome

Carney-Stratakis syndrome is a recently described condition that runs in families and causes gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GIST) and paragangliomas.

The tumors often appear in several places in the body. GARD says it usually shows up in the teen years or adulthood.

Signs & symptoms

Symptoms vary from person to person. GARD lists these among the most common:

  • Belly pain
  • Bleeding in the digestive tract
  • Blocked intestines
  • Trouble swallowing (dysphagia)
  • Hearing loss
  • Weakness of nerves in the head and face (cranial nerve paralysis)

Not everyone has every symptom. GARD's list comes from the Human Phenotype Ontology.

Diagnosis

  1. Talk with your doctor

    Share the symptoms you've noticed, when they started and your family health history. Notes and photos can help.

  2. See a specialist

    Specialists who may be involved include cancer specialists, genetic specialists and hormone specialists.

  3. Ask which tests can help

    Your care team will decide which exams and tests can confirm the diagnosis.

  4. Connect with expert centers

    GIST Support International may keep lists of experts for this condition.

Care & treatment

Care team
Cancer specialists (oncologists); Genetic specialists (geneticists); Hormone specialists (endocrinologists)
Expert care
Expert lists: GIST Support International
Treatment
GARD doesn't list specific treatments for this condition. Your care team will tailor care to your symptoms.
Research
Clinical trials and observational studies may be options. See the research section below.

General information, not medical advice. Your care team makes the decisions.

Everyday life

Living with a rare condition is easier with support.

  • Connect with GIST Support International
  • Keep notes on symptoms, changes and questions for appointments
  • Ask about patient registries that help research
  • Look into financial aid and travel resources for care visits
Bring these questions to your next doctor visit
How are the tumors found and watched over time?
Should family members be checked or offered genetic counseling?
Which specialists should be part of my care team?

Quick facts

Symptoms usually startTeenager and as an Adult
InheritanceAutosomal Dominant

GARD says changes in genes cause this condition. It is inherited in an autosomal dominant way, so one changed copy of a gene can cause it. No specific gene is listed.

GeneticEndocrine

Also known as: carney dyad; carney stratakis dyad; carney stratakis syndrome; carney-stratakis dyad; gist-paraganglioma dyad; paraganglioma and gastric stromal sarcoma

Patient organizations

Source: NIH GARD · Carney-Stratakis syndromeGARD ID 10643 · GARD page updated September 2026 · Plain-language summary by Know Rare; editorial review pending. General information, not medical advice.

You are more than your diagnosis

Perspectives from people navigating life with Carney-Stratakis syndrome.

Explore the Carney-Stratakis syndrome blog

Explore research for Carney-Stratakis syndrome

Explore actively recruiting Carney-Stratakis syndrome studies with HealthSpark.

HealthSpark

Find actively recruiting studies for Carney-Stratakis syndrome with HealthSpark. Share your city to explore research near you.

  • Recruiting studies from ClinicalTrials.gov
  • Share your city to look for research near you
  • Eligibility is confirmed by the study team

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Powered by HealthSpark, our AI chat helper · Study information from ClinicalTrials.gov · Eligibility is confirmed by the study team.

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