Skip to main content

Lund University Publications

LUND UNIVERSITY LIBRARIES

CPAP to Reduce the Risk of Cancer in OSA?—A Meta-Analysis of 3 RCTs

Theorell-Haglöw, Jenny ; Peker, Yüksel LU and Marshall, Nathaniel S. (2025) In Journal of Sleep Research
Abstract

Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) has been hypothesised to promote cancer via intermittent hypoxia, and assessing what happens when OSA is controlled by continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) may provide valuable insight. We conducted a meta-analysis of three randomised controlled trials (SAVE, RICCADSA, ISAACC) assessing cancer incidence from adverse event data on neoplasms among OSA patients randomised to continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) versus control. Across trials, cancer incidence was similar between groups, and meta-analysis showed no statistically significant difference (CI 0.55–1.68). Treating sleep apnea with CPAP does not appear to markedly reduce the risk of incident cancers.

Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
author
; and
organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
in press
subject
keywords
cancer, CPAP, obstructive sleep apnea
in
Journal of Sleep Research
publisher
Wiley-Blackwell
external identifiers
  • scopus:105010711375
ISSN
0962-1105
DOI
10.1111/jsr.70153
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
d588c5eb-e943-4d1c-aaa3-9c0b42443b7f
date added to LUP
2026-01-20 16:38:26
date last changed
2026-01-20 16:38:37
@article{d588c5eb-e943-4d1c-aaa3-9c0b42443b7f,
  abstract     = {{<p>Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) has been hypothesised to promote cancer via intermittent hypoxia, and assessing what happens when OSA is controlled by continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) may provide valuable insight. We conducted a meta-analysis of three randomised controlled trials (SAVE, RICCADSA, ISAACC) assessing cancer incidence from adverse event data on neoplasms among OSA patients randomised to continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) versus control. Across trials, cancer incidence was similar between groups, and meta-analysis showed no statistically significant difference (CI 0.55–1.68). Treating sleep apnea with CPAP does not appear to markedly reduce the risk of incident cancers.</p>}},
  author       = {{Theorell-Haglöw, Jenny and Peker, Yüksel and Marshall, Nathaniel S.}},
  issn         = {{0962-1105}},
  keywords     = {{cancer; CPAP; obstructive sleep apnea}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  publisher    = {{Wiley-Blackwell}},
  series       = {{Journal of Sleep Research}},
  title        = {{CPAP to Reduce the Risk of Cancer in OSA?—A Meta-Analysis of 3 RCTs}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/jsr.70153}},
  doi          = {{10.1111/jsr.70153}},
  year         = {{2025}},
}