A receiver that provides interference cancellation in conjunction with RAKE processing. Signal parameters corresponding to each of a plurality of fingers corresponding to RAKE processing are maintained. Synthesized pilot signals are estimated using the signal parameters by interpolating waveforms for respective ones of the plurality of synthesized pilot signals to a common sampling lattice of the received set of data, and are then cancelled out. According to another aspect, a receiver ensures completion of a time-critical process such as signal demodulation and adaptively applies a non-time-critical process such as interference cancellation to the extent that computational resources become available subject to ensuring the completion of the time-critical process.