Comorbid illness and the early detection of cancer.
BACKGROUND
Comorbidity may be associated with later detection of cancer.


METHODS
Incident cases of colorectal, breast, and prostate cancer and melanoma were determined from the 1994 Florida state tumor registry (N = 32,074). The relationship between comorbidity and late stage at diagnosis was examined using multiple logistic regression.


RESULTS
Patients with comorbid conditions had greater odds of late stage diagnosis for each of the four cancers (colorectal, melanoma, breast, and prostate). Higher mortality rates were observed among patients with comorbid illness, not as a result of later stage at diagnosis, but rather due to their underlying disease.


CONCLUSIONS
Comorbidity was associated with later stage diagnosis. Further research is needed to determine mechanisms by which comorbidity might influence stage at diagnosis.
Gonzalez
E C
EC
Department of Family Medicine, University of South Florida, Tampa 33612, USA.
Ferrante
J M
JM
Van Durme
D J
DJ
Pal
N
N
Roetzheim
R G
RG
D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis; D015179:Colorectal Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis; D015897:Comorbidity; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D008545:Melanoma / Q000175:diagnosis; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000401:mortality; D011471:Prostatic Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis; D012042:Registries; D012878:Skin Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis