Sleep apnoea — a risk factor for malignoma ?

Background. Obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA) is a major risk factor for cardiovascular, metabolic and neurological diseases. There is evidence that via intermittent hypoxia and sleep fragmentation, OSA has influence on the genesis, progression and metastasis of existing tumours. Possible pathomechanisms are oxidative stress, systemic inflammation, angiogenesis via HIF1/2 and immunodeficiency. Objectives. The objective of this review is to give an overview of the currently available evidence on the effects of OSA on tumour incidence, course of the disease andmortality. Materials andmethods. Literature search in PubMed and the Ovid database up to and including June 2019. Results. Experimental studies suggest a potential impact of OSA via intermittent hypoxia and sleep fragmentation on the genesis, progression and metastasis of a tumour. Clinical studies show contradictory results; a majority suggests an association between OSA and cancer incidence and mortality. Discussion. Previous studies suggest an association between OSA and cancer. Further investigations in terms of pathophysiology and intervention options are necessary.