Sleep apnea and its possible effect on multiple myeloma

Sleep Disordered Breathing as a Targetable Risk Factor in Multiple Myeloma

NIH-funded research University of Iowa · NIH-11235924

This work looks at whether treating sleep apnea can help adults with newly diagnosed multiple myeloma respond better to therapy.

Quick facts

Grant typeR01 grant
Study typeNIH-funded research
Funding institutionUniversity of Iowa NIH-funded
Lab location1 site (Iowa City, United States)
Project IDNIH-11235924 on NIH RePORTER

What this research studies

You would have your sleep monitored overnight to see if low oxygen during sleep (chronic intermittent hypoxia) is present. Researchers would collect small bone marrow samples to measure immune cells called tumor-associated macrophages and examine their gene activity. If you use CPAP for sleep apnea, the team will compare how those cells change with treatment and follow your response to standard myeloma therapy. The goal is to learn whether fixing sleep breathing problems can improve the chance of remission.

Who could benefit from this research

Good fit: Adults (21+) with newly diagnosed multiple myeloma who are willing to undergo sleep testing and bone marrow sampling are the most appropriate candidates.

Not a fit: People without sleep-disordered breathing, those not willing to use CPAP, or those unwilling to have bone marrow testing may not directly benefit from this project.

Why it matters

Potential benefit: If successful, treating sleep apnea could improve chemotherapy response and increase the likelihood of complete remission in multiple myeloma patients.

How similar studies have performed: Laboratory and animal studies suggest intermittent low oxygen at night alters bone marrow immune cells, but clinical evidence that CPAP improves multiple myeloma outcomes is limited and this is a relatively new clinical direction.

Where this research is happening

Iowa City, United States

Researchers

About this research

  1. This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
  2. Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
  3. For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.
Last reviewed 2026-06-15 by the Find a Trial editorial team. Information on this page is for educational purposes and is not medical advice. Always consult qualified healthcare professionals about clinical trial participation.