Although there is no separate section of the CCSG application dedicated to comprehensiveness per se, the determination of whether a cancer center will be designated as “comprehensive” by the NCI is a two-step process. The first step is a determination by peer review that the center fulfills the broad scientific and interactive requirements for comprehensiveness. Unless a center chooses not to be reviewed for comprehensiveness, the Parent Committee automatically will evaluate the scientific and interactive aspects of comprehensiveness as an integral part of the overall review of the Cancer Center Support Grant.

If peer review approves the scientific requirements for comprehensiveness, and the CCSG application is funded at any level, the Center will be asked to submit a summary of their community programs in lay and professional outreach and education. At a subsequent meeting, the Parent Committee will determine whether to recognize the center as comprehensive based on documentation of both the education/training and community service/outreach components addressed in this document. The applicant will receive official notification of the outcome in writing from the Chief of the Cancer Centers Branch. An “NCI-designated Comprehensive Cancer Center” is authorized to use a copyrighted logo developed by the NCI that signifies this recognition.

Many organizations that are dedicated exclusively to health care call themselves comprehensive cancer centers based on their self-assessment of their prevention, diagnostic, and treatment services. However, the term “comprehensive” as used by the NCI requires more than state-of-the-art care and services and includes a strong research base interactive with a wide spectrum of prevention, care, education, information and dissemination activities that broadly serve communities, regions of the country and often the Nation. These activities are supported by a broad array of Federal and non-Federal funding sources, such as grants and contracts focused on research, prevention and control, training, and education; state awards; and private donations.