Suspicion of Cancer Clinic helps navigate referrals, connect patients to correct care

The Suspicion of Cancer (SoC) Clinic gives patients a clear path to the Cancer Center when their test results or symptoms may point to cancer, but they do not yet have a confirmed diagnosis or a specific oncology team. The clinic helps coordinate timely evaluation, diagnostic workup, and access to the appropriate cancer specialists, serving as a bridge from a concerning finding to definitive diagnosis and treatment.

The SoC Clinic supports patients across both inpatient and outpatient settings.

For hospitalized patients, early referral can help expedite cancer evaluation and follow-up planning, reduce potential delays in discharge, and support efficient use of hospital resources. For outpatients, the clinic provides a centralized referral pathway when the appropriate cancer diagnosis or specialty is not yet clear, helping streamline triage and reduce delays in diagnostic evaluation.

When Should Providers Consider the SoC Clinic?

Consider referral when a patient has a new finding suspicious for malignancy and additional evaluation is needed to establish a diagnosis or determine the appropriate cancer specialty. Common referral indications include:

• Suspicious or indeterminate CT, MRI, ultrasound, or X-ray findings
• New masses or lesions concerning for malignancy
• Lung, liver, bone, or other organ lesions
• Concerning lymphadenopathy
• Breast masses
• Abnormal laboratory findings or blood counts that may indicate malignancy
• Abnormal bone marrow findings on imaging
• Elevated tumor markers
• Other clinical findings where cancer is suspected but a definitive diagnosis or appropriate oncology specialty has not yet been established

What the SoC Clinic Offers

The clinic provides comprehensive evaluation and coordination, including access to radiology, laboratory, and pathology services, Cancer Center specialists, and specialty tumor boards for complex cases. Tumor boards provide multidisciplinary review to assess cases, support diagnostic confirmation, and discuss treatment options. The clinic also provides chronic medical condition and pain management and can facilitate direct referral to oncology specialists for treatment when indicated.

Who Can Refer?

Patients may be referred by primary care physicians within and outside the UC Davis Health Primary Care network, the UC Davis Emergency Department, and UC Davis Medical Center providers. The SoC Clinic can be especially helpful when cancer is suspected but the appropriate Cancer Center specialty is not yet known, allowing the SoC team to assist with triage and determine the appropriate next step.

New Referral Workflow: Faster Triage, Improved Access

To make the referral process easier and facilitate faster triage, a dedicated “Suspicion of Cancer” button has been added to the Cancer Center Referral order in Epic. Providers can select the SoC option when referring a patient with suspected malignancy who has not yet been established with a specific Cancer Center service. This streamlined workflow helps route patients to the appropriate team while reducing unnecessary referral delays.

A Resource for Your Team

The Suspicion of Cancer Clinic is staffed by Internal Medicine physician Erin M. Noren (director) and is available as a resource for providers across UC Davis Health. If you have questions about the clinic, referral process, or how the SoC Clinic may support your patients, please reach out to the SoC team for additional information or to arrange an overview for your division  or staff.