Increased prevalence of obstructive sleep apnea in women diagnosed with endometrial or breast cancer

Background Epidemiological studies demonstrate associations between obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) and cancer incidence and mortality. The aim of this study was to measure OSA in women with breast (BC) or endometrial cancer (EC) and associations with clinico-pathological tumor variables. Methods and findings In a cross sectional study, women with BC (12 months) or EC (3 months) post-diagnosis were recruited from cancer clinics. We collected demographic, anthropometric data, cancer stage, grade, histopathology and history of cancer treatment and all subjects had in-laboratory polysomnography. Sleepiness was assessed with the Epworth Sleepiness Scale (ESS). We compared anthropometric and polysomnographic data between cancer groups (unpaired t-tests), and assessed relationships between cancer characteristics and OSA variables (Fishers exact test). There were no significant differences between average age (BC:59 +/- 68.7 years(n = 50); EC:60.3 +/- 7.7 years(n = 37)), or ESS score (BC:6.4 +/- 4.4; EC 6.8 +/- 4.7; mean +/- SD; all p > 0.2), however, BMI was higher in EC (BC: 29.7 +/- 7.9kgm(-)2; EC: 34.2 +/- 8.0 kgm(-)2; p < 0.05). BC had longer sleep latency (BC:31.8 +/- 32minutes; EC:19.3 +/- 17.9 minutes), less Stage 3 sleep (BC:20.0 +/- 5.2%; EC:23.6 +/- 8.2%) and more REM sleep (BC:21.1 +/- 6.9%; EC: 16.6 +/- 5.7%), all p<0.05. EC had lower average awake and asleep oxygen saturation levels (BC: 95.6 +/- 1.3%; EC: 94.6 +/- 1.9% [awake]: BC: 94.8 +/- 2.1%; EC: 93.3 +/- 2.4% [asleep]; both p < 0.05). Apnea-Hypopnea Index (AHI) (BC: 21.2(7.3-36.9) events/hr; EC: 15.7 (10-33.5) events/hour (median (interquartile range)) was not different p = 0.7), however, 58% and 57% of women with BC and EC respectively, had an AHI > 15 events/hour. In this small sample size group, no significant associations (all p >.1) were detected between OSA metrics and clinico-pathological tumor variables. Conclusion In postmenopausal women with breast or endometrial cancer there is high prevalence of OSA, with no association with specific tumor characteristics detected. Recognition of the high prevalence of OSA in women with cancer is important to recognise as it may impact on surgical risk and quality of life.

Automated summary

This study found a high prevalence of obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) in postmenopausal women with breast cancer (BC) and endometrial cancer (EC), but no significant associations were detected between OSA metrics and specific tumor characteristics.