According to the Journal of Thoracic Disease, obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is growing in prevalence, yet it is also highly underdiagnosed. It is estimated that over 100 million people globally suffer from OSA, with over 30 million in the U.S. alone. The most common comorbidities of OSA include diabetes, heart disease, hypertension, and stroke. As with many health conditions, sleep apnea has varying degrees of severity. We are now learning that the more severe the sleep apnea, the more serious the health risk. Recent studies reveal a cancer connection in the most severe sleep apnea cases, underlining the dangers of letting obstructive sleep apnea go untreated.

Common risk factors contribute to the cancer OSA relationship. Smoking, advanced age, and obesity are all risk factors for both cancer and obstructive sleep apnea. While smoking increases the risk of cancer, its relationship to OSA is not as well-known. Researchers believe that smoking can cause an inflammation of the upper airways, which are known to collapse during an apnea event. In addition to common risk factors, there are numerous studies shedding light on how cancer and obstructive sleep apnea are related. 

While the biological reasoning for the OSA cancer link is not fully known, there are many theories. A 2013 study in Spain concluded that people with severe sleep apnea had a 65 percent increased risk for cancer. They connected the cancer to increased hypoxia, a condition where the body is deprived of oxygen, which also occurs in OSA when breathing starts and stops repeatedly. Some researchers associate this lack of oxygen with tumor formation, although more research needs to be done in this area. Another theory linked to tumor growth is a process called neovascularization, which is defined as the growth of new blood vessels. Many researchers believe that the airway blockage that defines obstructive sleep apnea also promotes this process and ends up encouraging tumor growth. 

Additionally, researchers believe the fragmented breathing that occurs during the night with sleep apnea has a cancer connection. Oxidative stress, defined as stress in the body at the molecular level, may also occur when sleep has many disruptions. This stress can lead to increased inflammation throughout the body, which is related to increased cancer risk. A 20-year study recently published in the Journal of Sleep Medicine revealed that people with moderate to severe sleep apnea are two and a half times more likely to develop cancer and three times more likely to die from cancer. 

Many research studies investigating the obstructive sleep apnea cancer link have not specified a particular type or types of cancer; however, these studies do conclude that there is a definite association between the two diseases. And while the biological reasoning for the cancer-OSA relationship is not fully known, the growing body of evidence brings to light the importance of early diagnosis and treatment for sleep apnea.

To learn more about how BetterNight can help you provide more effective and efficient care to your at-risk sleep apnea patients, contact us.