Innovative screening for OSAS in patients with head and neck cancer using the apneal application: Protocol for a prospective single-centre study

Sep 22, 2026

Upload by Jasmine

Prospective single-centre study protocol evaluating innovative screening for obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (OSAS) in patients with head and neck cancer (HNC). The Apneal mobile application uses smartphone sensors and an AI algorithm to detect nocturnal respiratory events during home-based overnight recordings. Fifty adult patients will complete two recordings at diagnosis and six months after local treatment, alongside clinical and quality-of-life questionnaires. Estimated AHI from Apneal will be compared with symptoms and, when needed, confirmed by standard respiratory polygraphy.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryResearch & Report

FormatPDF

Pages8

Reading Time20 min

AccessFree to download

Abstract

Introduction

Methods

Expected Results

Discussion

Introduction

Background

OPEN ACCESS Citation: Baluta L, Humbert M, Babin E, Morello R, Micault E (2026) Innovative screening for OSAS in patients with head and neck cancer using the apneal application: Protocol for a prospective single-centre study. PLoS One 21(6): e0346607. [https://doi](https://doi). org/10.1371/journal.pone.0346607 Editor: Thomas Penzel, Charité Universitätsmedizin Berlin, GERMANY Received: October 3, 2025 Accepted: March 21, 2026 Published: June 23, 2026 Copyright: © 2026 Baluta et al. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited. Data availability statement: No datasets were generated or analyzed during the current study. All relevant data from this study will be made available upon completion of the study. Funding: The author(s) received no specific funding for this work. STUDY PROTOCOL Innovative screening for OSAS in patients with head and neck cancer using the apneal application: Protocol for a prospective singlecentre study Lisa Baluta1*, Maxime Humbert2, Emmanuel Babin3, Rémy Morello4, Emmanuel Micault5 1 Service d’ORL et chirurgie cervico-faciale, CHU Caen Normandie, Caen, France, 2 Service d’ORL etchirurgie cervico-faciale, CHU Caen Normandie, Caen, France, 3 Service d’ORL et chirurgie cervicofaciale, CHU Caen Normandie, Caen, France, 4 Service de Biostatistique, CHU Caen Normandie, Caen, France, 5 Service d’ORL et chirurgie cervico-faciale, CHU Caen Normandie, Caen, France * [baluta-l@chu-caen.fr](baluta-l@chu-caen.fr) Abstract Introduction OSAS is a common yet underdiagnosed condition, particularly among patients with head and neck cancers (HNC) . Anatomical changes caused by the tumor or its treatments—surgery, radiotherapy, or chemotherapy—can promote the onset of OSAS. However, fatigue in these patients is often attributed solely to the cancer treatment itself, which may delay appropriate diagnosis and management. Methods This prospective single-center study aims to assess the clinical feasibility of OSAS screening in patients with HNC using an innovative mobile application, Apneal, which uses smartphone sensors to detect nocturnal respiratory events through an artificial intelligence algorithm. Fifty adult patients diagnosed with HNC will be included. Each patient will perform two home-based overnight recordings using the Apneal application: one at the time of diagnosis and another six months after local treatment. Clinical and quality-of-life questionnaires will be completed. The estimated AHI will be compared with symptomatology and, if necessary, confirmed by a standard respiratory polygraphy. Expected Results The primary outcome is the proportion of patients for whom Apneal data are usable at the 6-month follow-up after treatment. Secondary objectives include assessing the incidence of OSAS according to the oncologic treatments received, identifying highrisk profiles, and evaluating the impact of OSAS on quality of life. PLOS One | [https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0346607](https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0346607) June 23, 2026 1 / 8 Competing interests: The authors have declared that no competing interests exist. Discussion This study could pave the way for a systematic, simple, low-cost, and non-invasive OSAS screening in patients with HNC. Ultimately, the goal is to enable a more personalized and comprehensive approach to care in this vulnerable population. Introduction Obstructive Sleep Apnea Syndrome (OSAS) is a common condition in France, affecting approximately 4–10% of the population, but it remains underdiagnosed [ 1] . This syndrome is defined by episodes of obstructive apnea and/or hypopnea accompanied by daytime sleepiness. It can lead to fatigue, cardiovascular complications, motor vehicle accidents, and depressive or anxiety disorders [ 1] . The pathoph

FAQs

What condition is the study targeting in patients with head and neck cancer?

The study targets obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (OSAS). It focuses on detecting OSAS in patients newly diagnosed with HNC and during follow-up after local treatment.

How does the Apneal application screen for OSAS?

Apneal uses smartphone sensors to detect nocturnal respiratory events through an artificial intelligence algorithm. Patients perform home-based overnight recordings with the application.

What outcomes will be measured during the follow-up?

The primary outcome is the proportion of patients with usable Apneal data at the 6-month follow-up after treatment. Secondary objectives include assessing OSAS incidence by oncologic treatment, identifying high-risk profiles, and evaluating the impact of OSAS on quality of life.

Sep 22, 2026

Upload by Jasmine