Washington Ballet Offering Free Skin Cancer Screenings for 'National Skin Cancer Awareness Month'

The Washington Ballet is taking a proactive approach to keeping its performers healthy by offering skin cancer screenings. On Friday, May 6, 2016, Dr. Maral Skelsey, skin cancer specialist and member of The Washington Ballet Board of Directors, will perform the highly recommended, annual full body skin cancer screening on the dancers and other members of the ballet company utilizing new, state of the art, non-invasive, diagnostic technology*. Dr. Maral Skelsey is available for interviews.

WHY: Skin cancer is the most common form of cancer in the United States and one of the most preventable. According to The Skin Cancer Foundation, each year there are more new cases of skin cancer than the combined incidence of cancers of the breast, prostate, lung and colon. In January 2015, the Centers for Disease Control reported that the cost of treating skin cancer outpaced treatment costs for all other cancers combined by 5-fold from 2002 to 2011. Of special concern is the fact that melanoma is the most common form of cancer for young adults ages 25 to 29. Early detection is key to a positive prognosis. This new technology makes early diagnosis easier than ever.

WHO: Maral Kibarian Skelsey, MD, is a board certified dermatologist, Mohs surgeon and director of dermatologic surgery at Georgetown University Medical Center and Washington Hospital Center. Dr. Skelsey is also the medical director of the Dermatologic Surgery Center of Washington in Chevy Chase, Maryland. Visitwww.mohs-md.com for more information about Dr. Skelsey.

*About DermTech®: DermTech is a commercial stage molecular dermatology company developing non-invasive gene expression tests to aid the clinical diagnosis of melanoma skin cancer. DermTech operates a CLIA licensed laboratory located in the company's La Jolla, CA headquarters.

DermTech's technology allows the analysis of skin biopsy samples collected noninvasively

using an adhesive patch. DermTech provides highly accurate, objective information to the physicians to improve care and reduce costs. Current dermatologic diagnosis is primarily based on subjective visual pattern recognition that is prone to error and results in a substantial number of unnecessary surgical procedures. For additional information visit: www.dermtech.com. For more information: Lenna Warner978.546.6306.