Is sleep apnoea causing cancer?
Hot topicsChairs: Renata L. Riha (Edinburgh, United Kingdom), Maria Bonsignore (Palermo, Italy)
Aims: The aim of this hot topic session is to update the audience in terms of our current knowledge regarding the potential relationship between sleep apnoea and cancer. Recent data from animal models of both intermittent hypoxia and sleep fragmentation suggest that these characteristics of obstructive sleep apnoea enhance tumour growth and metastasis. Recent studies in general populations and in patients with suspected sleep apnoea also suggest there is an association between cancer incidence/mortality and sleep apnoea, although some studies did not observe a positive relationship. The current evidence regarding this novel and emergent topic has some limitations: data from animal models cannot be directly translated to humans and observational studies only provide indirect evidence. This hot topic session will present the current available evidence and will focus on its limitations. Areas that require further research, and their potential clinical implications, will be described.