At this point we know that there are numerous things that can cause sleep apnea, and that sleep apnea can cause numerous other conditions as well. With as much as I have learned about this disease – for a lack of a better word – what I have recently discovered is the most surprising; there have been a few different studies that have linked sleep apnea to cancer.

While the research linking sleep apnea to cancer is not as pronounced as the link between sleep apnea and cardiovascular disease, it is most definitely something to take under advisement and treat said condition.

There have been two different studies conducted – one in Spain and the other in Wisconsin. Both studies followed a number of patients that suffer from breathing issues, like sleep apnea. The results from the study conducted in Spain showed that about 65% of the patients who suffered from the most severe form of sleep apnea were at a higher risk of developing cancer. The study in Wisconsin was conducted among government workers, and the results showed that those with the most breathing abnormalities had five times the risk of dying from cancer compared to their counterparts that do not have any breathing abnormalities. There was no specific type of cancer linked, they study was a general observation of the link between sleep apnea and cancer.

Renowned scientists have said that more research is needed when linking the two together – something more sustainable. However, there have been a few animal studies that have shown some connection between low-oxygen environments (similar to what someone with sleep apnea would experience throughout the night while sleeping) and the progression of cancerous cells at a rapid pace. Another study conducted at the University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health found that “the more severe a person’s breathing problems at night, the greater likelihood of dying from cancer.”

As if not wanting to get a solids night sleep was not enough, I would think that this is would be the deciding factor to see your physician concerning your possible sleep apnea symptoms. I know in this day and age a new study is done every other day linking everyday, simple things to cancer. Most people I know choose to ignore said studies, but this one is not something that we should ignore.

Find out more about the studies here: https://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/05/20/sleep-apnea-tied-to-increased-cancer-risk/