title: Obstructive sleep apnea and cancer: effects of intermittent hypoxia?
abstract: Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is a common disorder characterized by pauses in regular breathing. Apneic episodes lead to recurrent hypoxemia-reoxygenation cycles with concomitant cellular intermittent hypoxia. Studies suggest that intermittent hypoxia in OSA may influence tumorigenesis. This review presents recent articles on the potential role of OSA in cancer development. Relevant research has focused on: molecular pathways mediating the influence of intermittent hypoxia on tumor physiology, animal and epidemiological human studies linking OSA and cancer. Current data relating OSA to risk of neoplastic disease remain scarce, but recent studies reveal the potential for a strong relation. More work is, therefore, needed on the impact of OSA on many cancer-related aspects. Results may offer enlightenment for improved cancer diagnosis and treatment.
authors.affiliation: Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Faculty of Medicine & Dentistry, Medical University of Warsaw, 19/25 Stepinska Street, 00-739 Warsaw, Poland.
authors.forename: Wojciech
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Kukwa
authors.affiliation: Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Faculty of Medicine & Dentistry, Medical University of Warsaw, 19/25 Stepinska Street, 00-739 Warsaw, Poland.
authors.forename: Ewa
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Migacz
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Molecular Oncology, Department of Oncology, Military Institute of Medicine, 128 Szaserow Street, 04-141 Warsaw, Poland.
authors.forename: Karolina
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Druc
authors.affiliation: Institute of Biochemistry & Biophysics PAS, Molecular Biology Department, 5a Pawinskiego Street, 02-106 Warszawa, Poland.
authors.forename: Elzbieta
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Grzesiuk
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Molecular Oncology, Department of Oncology, Military Institute of Medicine, 128 Szaserow Street, 04-141 Warsaw, Poland.
authors.forename: Anna M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Czarnecka
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002471:Cell Transformation, Neoplastic / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D006801:Humans; D000860:Hypoxia / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology* / Q000378:metabolism*; D015398:Signal Transduction; D020181:Sleep Apnea, Obstructive / Q000150:complications* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000378:metabolism*
keywords: HIF; cancer; hypoxia; intermittent hypoxia; obstructive sleep apnea; tumorigenesis