What question did this study set out to answer?

To evaluate the risk of obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) following chemoradiation in head and neck cancer patients.

January 21, 2026Head & Neck0 citationsOpen Access

Obstructive Sleep Apnea Following Head and Neck Chemoradiation: A Scoping Review With Exploratory Meta‐Analysis

AVAugustin G. L. VannierUniversity of Chicago NKNeil S. KondamuriUniversity of Illinois Chicago MWMegan S. WuUniversity of Illinois Chicago

Key Points

To evaluate the risk of obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) following chemoradiation in head and neck cancer patients.
Conducted a scoping review of studies from multiple databases.
Included studies assessing OSA after chemotherapy or radiotherapy.
Performed exploratory meta-analysis on qualifying studies reporting OSA rates.
Of 559 papers, 13 met criteria for meta-analysis.
There was a modest, nonsignificant trend toward increased risk of mild OSA with radiotherapy (z = 1.42, p = 0.15).
Chemotherapy showed no significant association with mild (z = -0.83, p = 0.41) or moderate OSA (z = 0.00, p = 1.00).

Abstract

ABSTRACT Background Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) may contribute to fatigue in head and neck cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy and radiotherapy, particularly as both have the potential to impact the mechanics and dynamics of the airway. We conducted a scoping review and exploratory meta‐analysis to evaluate the risk of OSA following chemoradiation. Methods PubMed, Web of Science, EMBASE, and Cochrane Library were searched for studies assessing incident OSA after radiotherapy or chemotherapy. Eligible studies isolated the effect of one treatment and reported OSA rates in each group. Results Of 559 papers identified, 110 were duplicates and 30 underwent full‐text review; 13 met criteria for exploratory meta‐analysis. A modest, nonsignificant trend toward increased risk of mild OSA was observed with radiotherapy ( z = 1.42, p = 0.15). Chemotherapy was not associated with mild ( z = −0.83, p = 0.41) or moderate ( z = 0.00, p = 1.00) OSA. Conclusions Studies are limited in size and number, and do not support increased risk of OSA with radiotherapy.

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