Lung cancer was the most frequent disease in men and the main cause of cancer deaths in 2020. Even though obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is carcinogenic, epidemiological research is mixed. We did this systematic review and meta-analysis to look at the links between OSA and lung cancer incidence and mortality. The researchers used four electronic databases for randomized controlled trials and observational studies evaluating the link between sleep apnea and lung cancer. To meta-analyze the maximum covariate-adjusted correlations, random-effects models were applied. Our systematic evaluation comprised seven studies, four of which were acceptable for meta-analysis and included a total of 4,885,518 patients. Bias was low to moderate risk. OSA was linked to a greater risk of lung cancer (HR 1.25, 95% CI 1.02 to 1.53). However, there was a lot of heterogeneity (I2=97%). Heterogeneity was minimized and included at least 5 years of median follow-up, and the pooled effect size was consistent. (HR 1.32, 95% CI 1.27 to 1.37, I2=0%). Participants with OSA had a 30% higher risk of lung cancer than those without OSA, according to a meta-analysis of 4,885,518 patients from four observational studies. More clinical trials with longer follow-up, as well as biological models of lung cancer, should be conducted to understand this association better, according to the authors.
Reference: www.atsjournals.org/doi/abs/10.1513/AnnalsATS.202108-960OC