People who suffer from sleep disorders such as insomnia are more likely to be diagnosed with cancer before age 50, according to a new study. The risk of developing breast cancer in particular was found to rise by nearly threefold, drawing attention from the medical community.
According to Britain's Guardian on Sunday, researchers at the MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston, Texas, presented the findings at the recent annual meeting of the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO). The researchers analyzed health data from more than 18 million adults aged 18 to 50 in the United States to examine the correlation between sleep conditions and cancer risk.
The analysis showed that people with poor sleep quality or an insomnia diagnosis had a generally higher risk of early-onset cancer. In particular, patients with insomnia faced up to a threefold increase in the risk of developing breast cancer within five years. The risk of uterine cancer and colorectal cancer also roughly doubled, while the risk of ovarian cancer was 57% higher.
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The study is drawing greater attention amid the recent global rise in early-onset cancer. The number of cancer patients under 50 worldwide rose sharply from 1.82 million in 1990 to 3.26 million in 2019. Over the same period, cancer deaths among younger age groups also increased by 27%.
The researchers assessed that sleep disorders could be a modifiable risk factor that raises cancer risk. However, they explained that it is still too early to conclude that lack of sleep directly causes cancer.
Experts point out that other lifestyle factors accompanying sleep deprivation must also be considered. Dr. David Gally of the Better Sleep Clinic in Bristol, Britain, said, "People who lack sleep are more likely to simultaneously have risk factors such as drinking, smoking, obesity, and lack of exercise," adding that "further research is needed to confirm the causal relationship between sleep and cancer."
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Experts emphasize that sufficient sleep affects overall health beyond simply recovering from fatigue. This is because sleep plays an important role in maintaining the immune system and hormone balance and in the cell repair process.
Megan Winter, health information manager at Cancer Research UK, explained, "Current research is at a stage that shows an association between sleep disorders and cancer development," adding that "clearer conclusions need to be drawn through long-term follow-up observation."
