Investigating how sleep apnea affects blood cancer treatment outcomes
Official title: Sleep Disordered Breathing as a Targetable Risk Factor in Multiple Myeloma
Funded at University of Iowa · NIH-11011344 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This study is looking at how sleep apnea might affect people with multiple myeloma, a type of blood cancer, and whether using a CPAP machine to treat sleep apnea can help improve their cancer treatment results.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Iowa NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Iowa City, United States) |
| Project start | December 1, 2021 |
| Project end | November 30, 2026 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $584,230 |
| NIH project number | 5R01CA244271-04 |
| Project ID | NIH-11011344 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates for this research are adults diagnosed with multiple myeloma who also experience symptoms of sleep apnea.
✕Less likely to help
Patients without a diagnosis of multiple myeloma or those who do not have sleep apnea may not benefit from this research.
What this research studies
This research focuses on understanding the impact of sleep apnea, a condition that causes interrupted breathing during sleep, on patients with multiple myeloma, a type of blood cancer. The study aims to explore how chronic intermittent hypoxia, caused by sleep apnea, may lead to resistance against chemotherapy by increasing certain immune cells in the bone marrow. Researchers will assess the relationship between the severity of sleep apnea and the presence of these immune cells, as well as evaluate whether treating sleep apnea with continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) can improve treatment outcomes for patients. By translating laboratory findings to human patients, the research seeks to establish a clearer understanding of how sleep apnea affects cancer treatment efficacy.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this research could lead to improved treatment strategies for patients with multiple myeloma who also suffer from sleep apnea.
How similar studies have gone: Previous research has indicated that addressing sleep apnea can improve health outcomes in various conditions, suggesting potential success for this novel approach.
Where this research is happening
-
University of Iowa
Iowa City, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Tomasson, Michael H — University of Iowa
- Study coordinator: Tomasson, Michael H
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
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Sleep apnea and its possible effect on multiple myeloma
This work looks at whether treating sleep apnea can help adults with newly diagnosed multiple myeloma respond better to therapy.
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Integrative study of multiple myeloma genetics and disease biology
A team at Dana-Farber and partners is pursuing a long-term project to understand the genetic and molecular drivers of multiple myeloma and how treatments interact with disease biology.
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Comparative Modeling to Prevent, Detect Early, and Treat Multiple Myeloma
A research team will build and compare computer models to understand how multiple myeloma develops, can be detected earlier, and treated more effectively.
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How LDL Affects Multiple Myeloma: New Pathways to Keep Remission
A new grant is studying how cholesterol from LDL particles fuels multiple myeloma and how this interaction influences the tumor environment and immune response, with goals to help patients stay in remission.
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Therapy-induced senescence and immune activation in multiple myeloma
A study in people with multiple myeloma will explore how treatment-related senescence in cancer cells may stimulate the immune system and affect cancer return after standard frontline therapy.
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BCMA CAR-T enteritis: understanding immune toxicities in multiple myeloma
A broad study to uncover why some CAR-T cell treatments targeting BCMA cause severe intestinal inflammation in people with multiple myeloma.
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.