ArticleSupportive care in cancer : official journal of the Multinational Association of Supportive Care in Cancer2021
Obstructive sleep apnea in head and neck cancer survivors.
Article in Supportive care in cancer : official journal of the Multinational Association of Supportive Care in Cancer, 2021. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 14 papers, 3 of them syntheses that pooled it.
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Who cites it
14 citing papers in PubMed, 3 syntheses or guidelines pooled it, 21 citations in OpenAlex.
- Obstructive Sleep Apnea Following Head and Neck Chemoradiation: A Scoping Review With Exploratory Meta-Analysis.Head & neck · 2026Pooled it
- Prevalence and assessment of sleep-disordered breathing in head and neck cancer patients: a systematic review.Sleep & breathing = Schlaf & Atmung · 2024Pooled it
- Interventions for head and neck cancer survivors: Systematic review.Head & neck · 2022Pooled it
- Posterior airway space following mandibular reconstruction using microvascular free flaps in oral cancer patients in relation to radiotherapy: a single-center study.Frontiers in oncology · 2026Article
- Transient radiation-induced severe obstructive sleep apnea.Journal of clinical sleep medicine : JCSM : official publication of the American Academy of Sleep Medicine · 2025Article
- Treatment of obstructive sleep apnea with CPAP improves daytime sleepiness and fatigue in cancer patients.Cancer medicine · 2024Article
- Mechanisms of sleep disturbances in long-term cancer survivors: a childhood cancer survivor study report.JNCI cancer spectrum · 2024Article
- The Association of Salivary Flow Rate and Sleep Quality among Head and Neck Cancer Survivors after Radiotherapy.BMC oral health · 2024Article
- Comorbidities and Laryngeal Cancer in Patients with Obstructive Sleep Apnea: A Review.Medicina (Kaunas, Lithuania) · 2023Review
- Sexual health at 5 years after diagnosis of head and neck cancer.Supportive care in cancer : official journal of the Multinational Association of Supportive Care in Cancer · 2023Article
- International Consensus Statement on Obstructive Sleep Apnea.International forum of allergy & rhinology · 2023Review
- Concordance between self-reported sleep and actigraphy-assessed sleep in adult survivors of childhood cancer: the impact of psychological and neurocognitive late effects.Supportive care in cancer : official journal of the Multinational Association of Supportive Care in Cancer · 2022Article
- Orofacial Pain and Snoring/Obstructive Sleep Apnea in Individuals with Head and Neck Cancer: A Critical Review.Journal of oral & facial pain and headache · 2022Review
- Chronic Intermittent Hypoxia Regulates CaMKII-Dependent MAPK Signaling to Promote the Initiation of Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm.Oxidative medicine and cellular longevity · 2021Article
Corrections and comments
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Authors and funding
4 authors at 1 institution in 1 country.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
importanceChronic fatigue is present in 33.0% of all head and neck cancer (HNC) survivors; this impacts their quality of life negatively. A plausible cause is obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) after HNC treatment. However, studies regarding this topic are scarce.
objectiveTo confirm if OSA is more prevalent after receiving radiotherapy for HNC. In addition, investigation of the risk factors for developing OSA in this population.
designA retrospective review of prospective data.
methodsTreatment for HNC took place between 2016 and 2017 at the University Hospital of Leuven. One hundred sixty-four patients were eligible for participating in this study. Sixty-five responded (39.4%). Upon consulting their medical files, 15 patients were excluded based on the in- and exclusion criteria. Presence of OSA was estimated using standardized questionnaires, namely the Berlin Questionnaire, the Epworth Sleepiness Scale, and the CIS-20. This was compared to the proportion of OSA in the general population.
resultsFifty patients (33 men, 17 women) with a mean age of 64.2 years (range 32-88) were included. Based on the questionnaires, OSA was suspected in twenty. The prevalence of suspected OSA in our study group (40.0%) was significantly greater (p < 0.0001) than our estimated prevalence of OSA in the general population (10.9%). No significant risk factors could be identified.
conclusionPatients treated for HNC are at risk of developing OSA. When complaints of fatigue and sleeping problems persist, referral to a sleep clinic is suggested. Further investigation remains necessary to identify potential risk factors along with prevention and treatment strategies.
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