Conditions offering alternative explanations for lung cancer symptoms are associated with increased diagnostic intervals, according to a study published in the British Journal of Cancer. Imogen Rogers, PhD, and colleagues examined the diagnostic interval from time of first presentation with a relevant sign/symptom to diagnosis for 11,870 people with lung cancer diagnoses and associations between the diagnostic interval and 10 “competing demand” comorbidities, including diabetes, heart failure, and epilepsy, and four “alternative explanation” conditions, including COPD and asthma. The diagnostic interval was longer for patients with “alternative explanation” conditions, by 31 and 74 days in patients with one and two or more conditions versus those with none. In an adjusted analysis, the number of “competing demand” conditions did not remain significantly associated with diagnostic interval. “Recognizing that these conditions can mask the symptoms of lung cancer is crucial in ensuring timely diagnosis and treatment,” Dr. Rogers said in a statement.