SynthesisSleep & breathing = Schlaf & Atmung2025
Does CPAP increase or protect against cancer risk in OSA: a systematic review and meta-analysis.
Synthesis in Sleep & breathing = Schlaf & Atmung, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 7 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.
What it found
Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.
The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.
Who cites it
7 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it.
- CPAP to Reduce the Risk of Cancer in OSA?-A Meta-Analysis of 3 RCTs.Journal of sleep research · 2026Pooled it
- Article
- Research status and progress on the relationship between obstructive sleep apnea and pulmonary nodules.Frontiers in medicine · 2026Review
- Obstructive sleep apnea and lung cancer: molecular underpinnings and clinical translational prospects.Frontiers in cell and developmental biology · 2026Review
- Single-cell and transcriptomic profiling reveal stemness-driven immune evasion in obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) associated lung cancer.Journal of Cancer · 2026Article
- Restoring Physiological Normoxia as an Adjuvant Strategy to Improve Cancer Treatment Outcomes.Nature and science of sleep · 2026Review
- Prevalence of Urinary Tract Cancer in Patients with Obstructive Sleep Apnea: Data from the Vercelli Registry.Advances in respiratory medicine · 2025Article
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
2 authors.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
backgroundObstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is a prevalent sleep disorder associated with intermittent hypoxia, sleep fragmentation, and systemic inflammation, all of which may influence cancer development. Continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) therapy is the primary treatment for OSA, yet its impact on cancer risk remains uncertain. We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis to evaluate the association between CPAP therapy and the incidence of newly diagnosed cancer in patients with OSA.
methodsFrom inception to March 2025, a comprehensive literature search of MEDLINE, EMBASE, Cochrane databases, and reference lists was conducted. Observational studies assessing the risk of new cancer diagnoses in OSA patients treated with CPAP compared to non-CPAP users were included. Data extraction and quality assessment followed PRISMA guidelines, and meta-analysis was performed using a random-effects model.
resultsThree cohort studies from France, Spain, and Canada, including 72,498 participants, met the inclusion criteria. CPAP compliance varied, defined as > 4 h/night in two studies, while one study lacked specific usage criteria. Cancer diagnoses were ascertained via national registries, hospital databases, or electronic medical records. Meta-analysis revealed a pooled hazard ratio (HR) of 0.81 (95% CI: 0.60-1.09), suggesting a potential reduction in cancer risk among CPAP users. Sensitivity analysis reduced heterogeneity (I² = 0%) and revised the HR to 0.93 (95% CI: 0.81-1.08).
conclusionsCPAP therapy does not appear to increase cancer risk in OSA patients, but the evidence is limited and inconclusive. Further research, including randomized controlled trials, is needed to confirm these observations and explore underlying mechanisms.
Indexed as
Identifiers
40310575What OpenQuestion holds
Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.