Obstructive Sleep Apnea & Cancer
It's likely that you or someone you know may be suffering from Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA). And chances are that in the past few months you've heard the report linking sleep apnea to cancer.
If not, we'll give you a quick recap.
An article published in the American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine in May cited results from the Wisconsin Sleep Cohort Study. After factoring in age, sex, body mass index, and smoking prevalence, the study found that patients with OSA were more likely to die from cancer than patients without OSA. Patients with OSA were also more likely to die from other causes than patients without OSA.
Researchers hypothesized, based on studies done on animals, that OSA helps to promote tumor growth.
Health risks have already been linked to OSA, including high blood pressure, heart disease, heart attack, stroke, fatigue-related motor vehicle accidents, and a general decrease in one's quality of life. And this study just reinforced those links. But this is the first time a link between OSA and cancer has been studied.
What does this mean to you?
Well, if you suspect that you may have sleep apnea- it's important that you speak with your physician right away. If you are diagnosed with OSA, it's even more important to consistently use the therapy prescribed for you. Once used on a consistent basis, many of the health risks linked with OSA are reduced.
If not, we'll give you a quick recap.
An article published in the American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine in May cited results from the Wisconsin Sleep Cohort Study. After factoring in age, sex, body mass index, and smoking prevalence, the study found that patients with OSA were more likely to die from cancer than patients without OSA. Patients with OSA were also more likely to die from other causes than patients without OSA.
Researchers hypothesized, based on studies done on animals, that OSA helps to promote tumor growth.
Health risks have already been linked to OSA, including high blood pressure, heart disease, heart attack, stroke, fatigue-related motor vehicle accidents, and a general decrease in one's quality of life. And this study just reinforced those links. But this is the first time a link between OSA and cancer has been studied.
What does this mean to you?
Well, if you suspect that you may have sleep apnea- it's important that you speak with your physician right away. If you are diagnosed with OSA, it's even more important to consistently use the therapy prescribed for you. Once used on a consistent basis, many of the health risks linked with OSA are reduced.