Lack of Sleep May Raise Colon Cancer Risk

Short duration and poor quality of sleep have been shown by previous studies to increase an individual’s risks of obesity, cardiovascular disease, diabetes mellitus, and total mortality.  Li Li, from University Hospitals Case Medical Center (Ohio, USA), and colleagues surveyed 1,240 patients scheduled for a colonoscopy procedure at the Center.  Patients were asked demographic information as well as questions from the Pittsburg Sleep Quality Index (PSQI), which surveys overall sleep quality during the past month.  Of the 1,240 patients surveyed, 338 were diagnosed with colorectal adenomas, precursors to cancer tumors, at their colonoscopy. The patients with adenomas were found in general to have reported sleeping less than six hours compared to compared to those patients without adenomas (control) patients, and the association between amount of sleep and adenomas remained even when adjusted for family history, smoking, and waist-to-hip ratio (a measurement of obesity).  The researchers conclude that: “Shorter duration of sleep significantly increases risk of colorectal adenomas. The authors' results suggest sleep duration as a novel risk factor for colorectal neoplasia.”

Cheryl L. Thompson, Emma K. Larkin, Sanjay Patel, Nathan A. Berger, Susan Redline, Li Li. “Short duration of sleep increases risk of colorectal adenoma.”  Cancer, Volume 117, Issue 4, 15 February 2011, Pages 841–847.