DUSA Partners with The Skin Cancer Foundation to Provide Free Skin Cancer Screenings in City Near You

WILMINGTON, Mass., May 4  /PRNewswire/ -- DUSA Pharmaceuticals, Inc.®  (Nasdaq GM: DUSA) is proud to be a supporting sponsor of The Skin Cancer Foundation's annual Road to Healthy Skin Tour for the second consecutive year. The Tour offers free full-body skin exams by physicians and provides informational materials to raise awareness about the importance of early detection, prevention and treatment of skin cancer and precancerous growths such as actinic keratoses (AKs). According to The Skin Cancer Foundation, more than 10 million Americans have AKs and while most lesions remain benign, up to 10 percent may advance to squamous cell carcinoma (SCC), the second most common form of skin cancer[1].

"DUSA is happy to sponsor and support The Skin Cancer Foundation's very successful Tour for the second year in a row," said Bob Doman, DUSA's Chief Executive Officer. "The Tour plays a critical role in educating and motivating individuals to take action when it comes to their skin's health, including seeing their dermatologists for early detection, prevention, and if necessary, treatment options."

In 2008 and 2009 combined, the Tour traveled 41,335 miles and attracted more than 34,000 visitors. Collectively screening more than 6,500 people, board-certified dermatologists detected about 2,000 skin cancers and precancers including 116 melanomas and 661 AKs respectively.

For the third year in a row, the Foundation's fully-equipped, customized 38-foot RV will stop in various cities including New York, Boston, Los Angeles and San Francisco. At each stop, local dermatologists will perform quick, easy full-body skin cancer examinations in a mobile screening center. All exams will follow the guidelines set by the American Academy of Dermatology (AAD). In the past two years, 224 dermatologists have volunteered for the coast to coast tour, which makes an estimated 80 stops each year.

As a part of The Road to Healthy Skin Tour presented by Aveeno® and Rite Aid, all visitors will have access to educational materials that further explain monthly at-home skin check techniques and provide recommendations for maintaining healthy skin and treating AKs and skin cancers. Sunscreen samples, coupons and other useful information will be available at the traveling resource center. For the 2010 Tour schedule, current tour statistics and interactive features, visit www.SkinCancer.org/Tour.

About DUSA Pharmaceuticals

DUSA Pharmaceuticals, Inc. is an integrated dermatology pharmaceutical company focused primarily on the development and marketing of its Levulan® photodynamic therapy (PDT) technology platform, and complementary dermatology products.  Levulan® PDT is currently approved for the treatment of Grade 1 and 2 actinic keratoses of the face or scalp.  DUSA also markets other dermatology products, including ClindaReach®.  DUSA is researching the use of broad area Levulan® PDT to treat AKs and prevent squamous cell carcinomas in immunosuppressed solid organ transplant recipients and is supporting research related to oral leukoplakia in collaboration with the National Institutes of Health (NIH).  DUSA is based in Wilmington, Mass.  Please visit our website at www.dusapharma.com.

About The Skin Cancer Foundation

The Skin Cancer Foundation is the only global organization solely devoted to the prevention, detection and treatment of skin cancer.  The mission of the Foundation is to decrease the incidence of skin cancer through public and professional education and research.  For more information, visit www.SkinCancer.org.

[1] "Actinic Keratosis and Other Precancers," The Skin Cancer Foundation, 1. http://www.skincancer.org/Actinic-Keratosis-and-Other-Precancers.html.

SOURCE DUSA Pharmaceuticals, Inc.