It's easy,
I called the ENT dept. at my HMO and told them that my dentist noted a suspicious lump and I was seen the very next day (and this by an HMO that always makes you get a referal from a GP first - I actually made that up about the dentist. I had gone to a private ENT and got a Dx from him when I had no medical insurance and I didn't think it was a good idea that the HMO knew I was signing up, knowing I had a million dollar illness -although perfectly within their guidelines for "no medical questions asked" for small group plans). It was 1 1/2 months before I actually started treatment.

If what you say is accurate then it could possibly be 5-6 months until you actually start treatment. If it IS cancer that is enough time to advance your staging by 1. I would not accept that and tell them they suspect cancer and you need an emergency appointment. I'm sure that they can squeeze you in. They estimated that my cancer had been growing for 3 years.