There is an expanding literature on the association between obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA) and cancer risk [1, 2]. Evidence is growing from population- and clinic-based cohort studies that the severity of OSA and sleep-related hypoxaemia may adversely affect both overall cancer risk and incidence of certain cancers [3–7]. These clinical findings are supported by the identification of the intermediate mechanisms by which intermittent hypoxia and sleep fragmentation, the hallmark features of OSA, might promote oncogenesis, tumour growth and metastasis [8]. Although studies have shown a relationship between OSA and cancer, few have evaluated whether the risk of cancer development or progression in patients with OSA is modified by continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) therapy (the primary treatment for OSA) [1, 2].

关于阻塞性睡眠呼吸暂停 （OSA） 与癌症风险之间关联的文献越来越多 [1， 2]。基于人群和临床的队列研究越来越多的证据表明，OSA 和睡眠相关低氧血症的严重程度可能会对总体癌症风险和某些癌症的发病率产生不利影响 [3-7]。这些临床发现得到了对间歇性缺氧和睡眠碎片化（OSA 的标志性特征）可能促进肿瘤发生、肿瘤生长和转移的中间机制的确定的支持 [8]。尽管研究表明 OSA 与癌症之间存在关系，但很少有人评估持续气道正压通气 （CPAP） 治疗（OSA 的主要治疗方法）是否改变了 OSA 患者癌症发展或进展的风险 [1， 2]。