The Symptom Management Service (SMS) offers consultations to improve the quality of life and care for patients at UCSF’s Helen Diller Family Comprehensive Cancer Center.
Patient Referral Information
Call 415-885-SMS1 (415-885-7671) Monday-Friday coverage only 8:00am – 4:30pm, except holidays
For urgent needs please call your oncologist office directly.
Our Team
Meet the doctors, nurses, and other professionals who provide your care.
Frequently Asked Questions
Patients are referred to SMS by their primary oncologists, for treatment and counseling for both physical and emotional symptoms caused as a result of cancer. This includes treatment for pain, fatigue, depression, anxiety, and emotional distress.
Yes, the SMS interdisciplinary team offers treatments that include integrated medical, psychological, social work, and spiritual approaches working hand in hand with you regular cancer care. All SMS care is coordinated along with your cancer treatments and with the support of your cancer doctor.
To refill prescriptions that cannot wait until the next scheduled doctor visit, please call (415) 885 -7671 (select option 1) at least 3 business days before the medication is gone to speak with an SMS practice coordinator about getting it replenished.
MAKE A GIFTTo contribute to the SMS program, click on the "Make A Gift" image which will allow you to make a gift or a pledge online to any UCSF school, center, department, or research program including the Symptom Management Service.
All proceeds support Symptom Management Service research and education, including child life therapy services for SMS patients’ families.
Locations
Mount Zion [directions and parking] 1600 Divisadero, 4th Floor Outpatient Side San Francisco, CA 94115
Mission Bay. [directions and parking] Bakar Precision Cancer Medicine Building 1825 4th St. San Francisco, CA 94158
Parnassus. [directions and parking] 400 Parnassus Avenue San Francisco, CA 94143
For questions about your appointment, please contact 415-885-7671.
The SMS provides treatment and counseling for physical and emotional symptoms of cancer, to help people live as well as possible. Assistance includes help with pain, fatigue, depression, anxiety, advanced-care planning and spiritual issues. Treatments integrate medical, psychological, social work and spiritual approaches, which are offered along with regular cancer care. Care is coordinated with cancer treatments and with the support of patients’ oncology team. The SMS sees patients in clinic, by video telemedicine, and in their homes.
Your SMS team works closely with your oncology team and some oncology practices have established special programs in the SMS for their patients:
- SMS in the UCSF Brain Tumor Center - for patients with brain tumors
- SMS in Bone Marrow Transplant (BMT) - for patients with hematologic malignancies
- Geri-Pall - for older patients with lung cancer
- SMS in Head & Neck Oncology – for patients with upcoming surgery