An analysis of the study data, with prolonged follow-up, demonstrated that there was a sustained numerical benefit in overall survival for patients who received pembrolizumab with chemotherapy even when a large proportion of the initial placebo treated patients received post-protocol immunotherapy.

Experts from NYU Langone Health’s Perlmutter Cancer Center, a National Cancer Institute–designated Comprehensive Cancer Center, present their latest clinical findings and research at the 2026 American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) Annual Meeting, held May 29 to June 2 in Chicago.

Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is a prevalent sleep disorder characterized by intermittent hypoxia and sleep fragmentation, which may contribute to lung cancer development and progression. This review synthesizes epidemiological evidence on the association between OSA and lung cancer incidence and mortality, highlighting inconsistencies due to study design, population differences, and confounding factors such as smoking and obesity. While some studies report an increased lung cancer risk, particularly with severe nocturnal hypoxemia, others suggest no significant association or a potential protective effect. Pathophysiologically, OSA promotes oncogenesis through hypoxia-inducible factor activation, tumor immune microenvironment remodeling, exosome-mediated signaling, nuclear factor κB pathway activation, and enhanced cancer stem cell properties. Continuous positive airway pressure therapy may mitigate these effects, with evidence suggesting reduced lung cancer incidence and improved prognosis in adherent patients. This review underscores the need for standardized studies using objective diagnostics and robust confounder adjustment to clarify the OSA–lung cancer link and optimize clinical management.