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Review
. 2020 Sep;21(6):444-453.
doi: 10.2174/1389202921999200403151720.

The Association of Sleep Disorders, Obesity and Sleep-Related Hypoxia with Cancer

Anna Brzecka  1 , Karolina Sarul  1 , Tomasz Dyła  1 , Marco Avila-Rodriguez  1 , Ricardo Cabezas-Perez  1 , Vladimir N Chubarev  1 , Nina N Minyaeva  1 , Sergey G Klochkov  1 , Margarita E Neganova  1 , Liudmila M Mikhaleva  1 , Siva G Somasundaram  1 , Cecil E Kirkland  1 , Vadim V Tarasov  1 , Gjumrakch Aliev  1
Affiliations
Review

The Association of Sleep Disorders, Obesity and Sleep-Related Hypoxia with Cancer

Anna Brzecka et al. Curr Genomics. 2020 Sep.

Abstract

Background: Sleep disorders have emerged as potential cancer risk factors.

Objective: This review discusses the relationships between sleep, obesity, and breathing disorders with concomitant risks of developing cancer.

Results: Sleep disorders result in abnormal expression of clock genes, decreased immunity, and melatonin release disruption. Therefore, these disorders may contribute to cancer development. Moreover, in sleep breathing disorder, which is frequently experienced by obese persons, the sufferer experiences intermittent hypoxia that may stimulate cancer cell proliferation.

Discussion: During short- or long- duration sleep, sleep-wake rhythm disruption may occur. Insomnia and obstructive sleep apnea increase cancer risks. In short sleepers, an increased risk of stomach cancer, esophageal squamous cell cancer, and breast cancer was observed. Among long sleepers (>9 hours), the risk of some hematologic malignancies is elevated.

Conclusion: Several factors including insomnia, circadian disruption, obesity, and intermittent hypoxia in obstructive sleep apnea are contributing risk factors for increased risk of several types of cancers. However, further studies are needed to determine the more significant of these risk factors and their interactions.

Keywords: Cancer; intermittent hypoxia; obesity; risk factors; sleep; sleep apnea.

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Figures

Fig. (1)
Fig. (1)
Sleep disorders and associated diseases linked to cancer risk. Obesity is a well-known condition associated with cancer. Obesity increases oxidative stress in the body and induces DNA damage. In turn, DNA damage may promote oncogenic processes. Insomnia is a complex condition that may result in depression of the immune system and is associated with impaired melatonin secretion and regulation of clock genes. Obstructive Sleep Apnea may cause intermittent hypoxia with the resulting alteration of adiponectin, a key antiproliferative factor. It is possible obesity, insomnia, and OSA increase the risk for the development of several types of cancer including, breast, prostate, thyroid, gastric, and lung cancer. (A higher resolution / colour version of this figure is available in the electronic copy of the article).
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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