Rare Good News About Sleep Apnea

Obstructive sleep apnea often plays the bogeyman in this space, not least because it is closely associated with a variety of health ailments. Depression, obesity, heart disease and even lowered IQ have all been linked to sleep apnea at one time or another. Which is why it is unusual to read a news report that definitively exonerates sleep apnea from a connection to one common malady: cancer.

Researchers in Toronto recently studied a cohort of people suffering with apnea, and looked for a causal link between the incidence of the disorder and their likelihood of receiving a diagnosis for cancer. The results were good:

The most common cancers seen in participants were breast, colorectal, lung and prostate tumors. However, researchers noted that the findings did not reveal a causal link between obstructive sleep apnea and cancer after accounting for certain risk factors.

Cohort studies can often rule things out, although they aren’t as valuable as more controlled experimental design. Still, we can probably cross one major health scare off the list of apnea’s side effects.

That said: heart disease, stroke, depression and the other issues remain tied to wakeful sleeping. If you are a chronic snorer or frequently find yourself gasping for breath in the night, contact the Los Angeles sleep apnea specialists to learn more about your surgical options.

Tags: cancer, los angeles sinus surgeon, sleep apnea, studies