Though most of us are concerned with the behavioral aspect of snoring, we do not usually delve into its health concerns. A study conducted by scientists at the University of Wisconsin-Madison has revealed that sleep-disordered breathing (SDB) or sleep apnea could be linked to growing risk of death due to cancer.
For this current trial, mortality reports of approximately 1,522 participants were analyzed. According to the results, a considerable number of people experiencing sleep-disordered breathing and suffering from other health issues apparently encountered death. Patients with sleep apnea and cancer seemed to die at 4.8-folds higher rate than those devoid of breathing issues.
“These findings provide clues to help further our understanding of the relationship between sleep and health. It will be important to understand the relationship and mechanisms, if the association is confirmed,” commented Dr. Susan B. Shurin, acting director of the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute.
If the correlation between SDB and cancer mortality is affirmed, professionals need to look for signs such as snoring among cancer patients. The outcomes in the trial were observed after adjusting for various factors like smoking, drinking and others.
Moreover, scientists believed that sleep apnea could fuel cancer metastasis. This is precisely because the momentary loss of oxygen experienced by patients of the aforesaid condition seemingly stimulates tumor growth. In a subsequent analysis, it was found that the impact of SDB on cancer was more pronounced in thin mice than in overweight counterparts.
Initial studies have shown how sleep apnea may lead to other conditions like depression, early death or hypertension. This study revealed that sleep apnea could have an effect on cancer as well as the risk of death associated with the same.