Obstructive sleep apnea, a common disorder that causes snoring, fatigue, daytime tiredness and dangerous pauses in breathing at night, has been linked to cancer. About 28 million Americans have moderate to severe obstructive sleep apnea; and about 90 percent of these people are not even aware that they have it.

The "Wisconsin Sleep Cohort Study" results were published on May 20, 2012, by the American Thoracic Society. In sleep disordered breathing, there are many times during sleep that the upper airway is partially or completely blocked. More than 1,500 patients were studied over a 22-year period and the results showed that people with severe obstructive sleep apnea died of cancer nearly five times more often than the normal population. The study also showed that people who have their blood oxygen levels reduced greater that 10 percent for more than 45 minutes out of seven hours of sleep time died of cancer almost nine times more often than the normal population.

Researchers ruled out the possibility that common risk factors for cancer like age, smoking, alcohol use, physical activity and weight could have played a role. The link between cancer and obstructive sleep apnea remained even after the adjustment for these and other variables. Symptoms that indicate there is a need to be tested for obstructive sleep apnea may include:

• Snoring

• Witnessed pauses in breathing at night

• Daytime tiredness, mainly in the afternoon

• Unrefreshed feeling in the morning upon awakening

• Morning headaches

• Acid reflux

• High blood pressure

• Gasping when awakening

• Depression

Testing to find out if you have obstructive sleep apnea can be done either in a sleep lab or in your own home. If you are diagnosed with obstructive sleep apnea by a board certified sleep physician, the treatment may include one or more of the following: CPAP (continuous positive air pressure), custom made oral appliance (by a qualified dentist), lifestyle change including weight loss and sleep position, and surgery. Untreated obstructive sleep apnea will take an average of eight years off your life.

This information is from an article published by the American Thoracic Society, May 20, 2012, entitled "Sleep disordered breathing and cancer mortality: results from the Wisconsin Cohort Study" by F. Javier Nieto, Paul E. Peppard, Terry Young, Laurel Finn, Khin Mae Hla.

Donald Johnson, DDS, who is a member of the American Academy of Dental Sleep Medicine (www.aadsm.org). Dr. Johnson practices dentistry (www.heartfeltdental.com) and dental sleep medicine (www.nwsleepdoc.com) at the Northwest Institute of Dental Sleep Medicine located at 114 W. Neider Ave., Coeur d'Alene. If you snore or have any of the symptoms listed above, you should contact your physician or Dr. Johnson at (208) 667-4551 for a consultation. Dr. Johnson works closely with local sleep physicians to help provide comprehensive treatment for snoring and obstructive sleep apnea.