Prevalence of Obstructive Sleep Apnea in Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma Patients before and after Treatment

Background and Objectives: Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is common not only in the general population but even more so in patients with tumors of the head and neck region. Untreated, it leads to reduced quality of life, increased daytime sleepiness, and other comorbidities. The aim of this study was to determine the difference in the occurrence of OSA in the patient population with head and neck tumors compared with the general population as represented by the Trend cohort of the Study of Health in Pomerania (SHIP), and to assess the influence of tumor treatment. Materials and Methods: Between July 2018 and December 2021, preoperative polysomnography was conducted in 47 patients with histologically confirmed squamous cell carcinoma in the oropharynx, hypopharynx, or larynx. A follow-up polysomnography was performed in 23 patients 2-11 months after completing treatment. The collected data were correlated with tumor treatment and tumor size. Results: Of the included patients, 43 were male and 4 were female. Age ranged from 54 to 90 years. The pretherapeutic measurement found no significant difference in the prevalence of a pathologically elevated apnea-hypopnea index (AHI) in our patients compared with the SHIP Trend cohort. In the follow-up measurement after completion of treartment, a significant deterioration in AHI was observed. Initially, 70% of patients had an AHI > 5; after therapy, this increased to 87% (p = 0.008). The effect was particularly pronounced in the group of patients with advanced tumor stages who had received primary chemoradiation. Conclusions: OSA is a relevant condition in patients with head and neck cancer. Tumor treatment can lead to an increased occurrence of sleep-related breathing disorders, especially in patients with advanced tumor stages undergoing primary chemoradiation. Additional studies are necessary to better understand the exact mechanism involved.