The fundamental purpose of these centers was to encourage cooperative work among health organizations for cancer clinical and research work of both broad-scope and high specialization.

As part of this funded planning activity a Joint Committee for Cancer Studies and Research was quickly activated (with the help of a new affiliation agreement between the Michigan Cancer Foundation and Wayne State University ) which proceeded to institute cooperative projects in cancer research and cancer care at the two organizations.

The committee was charged also with the long-range task of determining how a cancer center could be organized in Detroit and it originated other special initiatives as well that included providing the impetus for the Metropolitan Detroit Cancer Control Program application of 1975 and the promotion of the Breast Cancer Prognostic Study.

With this groundwork laid out and in anticipation of Comprehensive Cancer Center (CCC) designation in 1976, a joint Cancer Coordinating Committee was created which moved to establish the basic governing structure of the future CCC. According to the terms of the agreement, the Michigan Cancer Foundation became the first recipient institution and administered the core grant.

The director was to be selected by the Michigan Cancer Foundation board with WSU concurrence and reported to a Board of Governors which was representative of the Foundation, WSU and the affiliated members of The Detroit Medical Center. The director would be assisted by three associate directors and a director of administration. Once the agreement was approved by the parties, a "Letter of Intent" was delivered on May 1, 1976, to the National Cancer Institute indicating the desire to be designated as a Comprehensive Cancer Center and, soon after on May 26, 1976, Wayne State University and Michigan Cancer Foundation signed a cancer center affiliation agreement which specified that the main purpose for seeking to create a Comprehensive Cancer Center was to facilitate interdisciplinary research and clinical activities while advancing cancer control efforts in the community.

Some 18 months later, on February 21, 1978, a favorable advance report of NCI concurrence at designation was received while formal designation itself took place on July 18, 1978. On April 5th of that year, Dr. Arthur Upton, NCI director, came to Detroit and gave an address in honor of the upcoming designation. At the time, Detroit became the twentieth Comprehensive Cancer Center in the United States.

The Comprehensive Cancer Center of Metropolitan Detroit (CCCMD) was established under a Board of Governors with its own bylaws and Articles of Incorporation. An operating level organizational structure was instituted consisting of an Operating Committee charged with a general administrative role and an executive level which carried out daily administration and consisted of a director, associate directors for research, clinical activities and cancer control, and education.

The CCCMD's first Board of Governors consisted of: Dr. Michael Brennan, president, Michigan Cancer Foundation; Mr. Jacques Cousin, president, The Detroit Medical Center; Dr. George Gullen, president, Wayne State University; and Dr. John Isbister, director, Michigan State Department of Health. Other members were: Dr. Delmar Mahrt, Dr. Rosser Mainwaring, Dr. Douglas T. McClure, and Dr. Alexander Walt.

Mr. Jacques Cousin was elected first chairman of the Board of Governors of the CCCMD. The Board, according to its bylaws, met twice a year to provide general guidance and set policy for the Center's programs. Operational direction rested with the Operating Committee and the CCCMD directors.

In 1978, the first directors were: Dr. Michael J. Brennan, CCCMD director; Dr. Vainutis Vaitkevicius, associate director for clinical activities; Dr. Melvin Reed, associate director for education; Dr. R. F. Ingall, associate director for cancer control; Dr. M.A. Rich, associate director for cancer research.

Later in 1981, Dr. Laurence Baker of WSU became deputy director of the CCCMD. Programs were organized under several research themes that were specially marked for support by the Center. These included: environmental carcinogenesis, colorectal cancer, prostatic cancer, and metastasis. The Breast Cancer Prognostic Study was one such program that had early Joint Committee support and reflected the then future Center's interest in metastasis research.

In 1985, the Prentis family donated $1.5 million through its Prentis Foundation to support the Center and, in the fall of that year, the CCCMD became officially known as the Meyer L. Prentis Comprehensive Cancer Center of Metropolitan Detroit in honor of the first treasurer of General Motors Corporation.

In 1987, in accordance with the plan of administrative rotation, fiscal responsibility was transferred to the university and Dr. Laurence Baker was named director on December 1, 1987. Dr. Samuel Brooks became deputy director soon after. In 1990, criteria were established by the two founding institutions for admission of new nominees as full or associated members of the Meyer L. Prentis Comprehensive Cancer Center of Metropolitan Detroit .

The first institution to be admitted was The Detroit Medical Center Corporation. In 1991, the fifth renewal application with the NCI for continued CCC status was successfully completed.

At this time Meyer L. Prentis Comprehensive Cancer Center of Metropolitan Detroit -- operated by the Barbara Ann Karmanos Cancer Institute -- is one of only 35 comprehensive cancer centers designated by the National Cancer Institute in the United States.