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Endometrial cancer begins in the endometrium, the lining of the uterus. 

"We are seeing an increase in patients under the age of 45, where particularly our patients who may be in their 20s or 30s and still want future fertility," says Dr. Evelyn Reynolds, a Mayo Clinic gynecologic oncologist.

Standard treatment for endometrial cancer is a hysterectomy, a surgery to remove the uterus. But for some younger patients who want to preserve their ability to become pregnant, there may be another option. 

"There are certain criteria that, if a patient meets, they may be a good candidate for fertility-sparing treatment," says Dr. Reynolds. "Lower-grade tumors that are confined to the endometrium are the ideal ones for treatment that can spare the uterus. There are different ways in which we can do targeted resection of the tumor."

Which is bringing hope to eligible patients who want to have children in the future. 

"We don't make assumptions. It's always a conversation with the patients, and it's a multidisciplinary approach," says Dr. Reynolds. "I want them to know that there are options." 

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Watch: the Mayo Clinic Minute

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Unlike many cancers that form solid tumors, leukemia is a cancer of the blood-forming cells in the bone marrow.

Dr. Arana Yi says, "Leukemia affects the production of the blood cells and can circulate through all the body from the beginning." 

Leukemia isn't a single disease. There are several types that can behave differently. According to Dr. Arana Yi, "It is a group of cancers with different subtypes. Some develop very quickly, while others progress slowly." 

Leukemia can affect people of all ages. Symptoms can include persistent fatigue, unusual bruising or bleeding, frequent infections, fever, night sweats, unexplained weight loss and shortness of breath. 

"If those are persistent, it is important to review and be evaluated by a doctor for a possibility of a blood count checkup," Dr. Arana Yi mentions. 

Research is helping doctors identify genetic changes that may be driving a patient's leukemia. That information can help guide treatment. 

Dr. Arana Yi says, "This allows us to use targeted medicines, immune-based therapies, sometimes with less traditional chemotherapy or chemo-free regimen." 

Recognizing possible symptoms and seeking medical evaluation can help doctors diagnose leukemia and determine appropriate treatment. 

"Recognizing symptoms since the beginning, and early evaluation with the doctors is key to diagnose the acute leukemia as soon as possible," Dr. Arana Yi concludes. 

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Dr. Sikander Ailawadhi, a Mayo Clinic hematologist and oncologist, explains how new therapies and ongoing research are changing the outlook for people with the disease.

Watch: The Mayo Clinic Minute

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Multiple myeloma is a cancer that forms in a type of blood cell called a plasma cell that builds up in bone marrow.

"When plasma cells multiply and crowd up the bone marrow, they can produce certain abnormal proteins," says Dr. Ailawadhi.

Damage caused by multiple myeloma can lead to anemia, weakened bones, frequent infections and kidney failure.

"Treatment for multiple myeloma has come a long way," Dr. Ailawadhi says. "While historically, there were traditional chemotherapies, now, the focus of treatment is targeted therapies, which are frequently engaging the body's own immune system to try and target the cancer in a way that is safer and has a more sustained effect on the disease."

This includes bone marrow transplantation, novel immunotherapy agents and chimeric antigen receptor-T cell therapy, also known as CAR-T cell therapy.

Dr. Ailawadhi says research is ongoing to better predict who may be at risk for multiple myeloma and to develop new treatments.

"We are able to see the field advancing rapidly and how major treatment advances are progressing to benefit patients," says Dr. Ailawadhi. "We expect that over the next five, seven, 10 years, we will see many, many more drugs, novel combinations and agents with newer mechanisms will be available to patients with this disease."

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Glioblastoma begins in glial cells, the brain's support cells. When these cells become cancerous, they can grow rapidly into surrounding tissue, damaging the healthy brain they were meant to protect. 

Watch: The Mayo Clinic Minute

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"It tends to be a tumor that also tends to grow and invade the brain," says Dr. Alfredo Quinones-Hinojosa, Mayo Clinic neurosurgeon. "Sometimes it can be slow and steady, but it tends to grow very fast." 

Despite significant advances in surgery, chemotherapy, immunotherapy and radiation therapy, glioblastoma remains one of the most challenging cancers to treat. Long-term survival is uncommon. 

"The median survival of patients with the best therapies tends to be between 12 and 14 months," says Dr. Quinones-Hinojosa. 

Although there is no cure for glioblastoma, treatment can help slow tumor growth, manage symptoms and maintain quality of life. Ongoing research continues to advance understanding of the disease and create new possibilities for patients. 

"Research is crucial to finding hope and healing in every corner of our operating room, in every corner of our laboratory," says Dr. Quinones-Hinojosa. "We are connecting research and hope, ultimately, through our patients." 

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Finding the right sunscreen can feel overwhelming, but experts say the most important thing is choosing one that offers broad-spectrum protection.

"You should be looking for a sunscreen that's at least SPF 30 that's broad spectrum, which means it protects against both UVA and UVB rays," says Dr. Collin Costello, a Mayo Clinic dermatologist.

Watch: The Mayo Clinic Minute

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Ultraviolet (UV) radiation from the sun is the leading cause of skin cancer. Over time, UV exposure damages the DNA in skin cells, increasing the risk of abnormal cell growth and skin cancer. Both cumulative sun exposure and severe, blistering sunburns raise the risk of developing the three most common types of skin cancer.

"There's three common types of skin cancer: squamous cell carcinoma, basal cell carcinoma and melanoma. All three have been linked to too much UV exposure," says Dr. Costello.

In addition to helping prevent skin cancer, sunscreen also protects against premature skin aging caused by UV exposure, including wrinkles, brown spots and other signs of sun damage.

Using sunscreen is the single most effective way to protect your skin from UV radiation, which directly causes DNA damage, skin mutations and cellular breakdown. Regular daily use of sunscreen safeguards your long-term health and preserves your skin's structural integrity.

Dr. Costello says sunscreen should be just one part of your overall sun protection strategy.

"Sunscreen is always good to be using in conjunction with other sun-protective measures, like seeking shade; using sun-protective clothing, hats; and potentially avoiding the sun between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m., when the rays are the most intense," he says.

Learn more: Mayo Clinic Dermatology program

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Watch: The Mayo Clinic Minute

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"Stroke is a term that refers to disruption of blood flow to the brain, and that can either be a blockage in an artery where the brain is deprived of oxygen and nutrients, or it can also refer to a bleed in the brain, where one of the arteries in the brain breaks open and causes bleeding into the brain itself," says Dr. James Klaas, a Mayo Clinic neurologist.

Both types of stroke present similar symptoms, but the treatments are very different.

"It's very important to get medical attention very quickly because the only way we can often sort that out is by doing an imaging study of the brain," says Dr. Klaas.

If the stroke is caused by a blockage, there are two primary treatments. The first is a clot-busting medication. The second is a procedure to physically remove the clot.

"These are what we call the endovascular procedures," says Dr. Felix Chukwudelunzu, a Mayo Clinic neurologist. "We use a guide wire through the blood vessel in the groin and thread it up to that blood vessel in the brain and snag out the blood clot and reopen the blood vessel."

For a hemorrhagic stroke caused by a burst or leaking blood vessel, the blood increases pressure on brain cells and damages them.

"We're going to make sure that the blood pressure is not too high. We're going to make sure the patient's blood is not too thin — whether from a medical condition or from a medication — and then we're going to treat that accordingly," says Dr. Klaas. "If there's too much blood flow in the brain, there might be pressure, and we might need to relieve that pressure surgically."

Related post:

• Mayo Clinic Minute: Recognize the sudden warning signs of stroke

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Watch: The Mayo Clinic Minute

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"Close to 90% of all strokes are preventable," says Dr. Felix Chukwudelunzu, a Mayo Clinic neurologist.

The first step in stroke prevention is recognizing the risk factors.

"There are those that are modifiable and those that are nonmodifiable. Certain nonmodifiable would be age," says Dr. James Klaas, a Mayo Clinic neurologist.

The older you are, the greater the chance of having a stroke.

Stroke risks

"If you're above the age of 65, you're more likely to have a stroke than someone in their 20s or 30s, for example," says Dr. Chukwudelunzu.

Another nonmodifiable risk factor is family history of stroke — especially a first-degree relative.

"In terms of the modifiable risk factors, what we'd be looking for is high blood pressure — is probably the most significant — then we look for high cholesterol, smoking, diabetes, obesity, sedentary lifestyle, amongst others," says Dr. Klaas.

Maintaining physical activity and watching what you eat are both important factors in stroke prevention.

"We know that people that eat, for example, high-salt diet, they are more likely to have high blood pressure than people that don't. So dietary changes can also help reduce chances of a stroke," says Chukwudelunzu. "Identifying these risk factors and making sure that they're being treated appropriately goes a long way into preventing that stroke from happening in the first place."

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May is Stroke Awareness Month, and knowing the signs and symptoms of stroke can save your life or the life of someone you care about. Stroke can happen suddenly, and every second counts when it comes to getting treatment. Doctors at Mayo Clinic say remembering a simple acronym — B.E.F.A.S.T. — can help you recognize the warning signs of stroke and act quickly.

Watch: The Mayo Clinic Minute

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Stroke is the No. 4 cause of death and a leading cause of disability in the U.S. About 1 in 4 people worldwide will experience stroke in their lifetime.

A stroke happens when blood flow to the brain is blocked or a blood vessel bursts, causing brain cells to die within minutes. It is often linked to risk factors like high blood pressure, diabetes, smoking, obesity and aging.

The American Stroke Association has updated the acronym it uses to help identify a stroke. B.E.F.A.S.T. (pronounced "be fast") adds two letters — B and E — to the former acronym F.A.S.T.

Each letter in BEFAST represents a warning sign of stroke — and recognizing them quickly can save a life.

• B stands for balance. Sudden onset of loss of balance or coordination.
• E stands for eyes. That's going to be vision problems, sudden loss of vision in one eye or the other.
• F is face. And so you're going to look for facial drooping or facial weakness.
• A stands for sudden onset weakness of one side of the arm, or one side of the leg on one side of the body.
•  S stands for sudden onset speech disturbance. So some difficulty in communicating or speaking
• T stands for time just to remind us that time is brain. 
  

If you have someone that you think is having a stroke, it's time to call 911. Recognizing the signs and acting quickly can make all the difference. And the good news is up to 90% of strokes may be preventable by managing risk factors and living a healthy lifestyle.

When someone suffers a stroke, every second counts. And the faster a patient receives treatment, the better the odds for a positive outcome. Recognizing B.E.F.A.S.T. and getting treatment quickly can minimize damage to the brain and minimize post-stroke complications.

Related posts:

• Mayo Clinic Minute: Know the risk factors to prevent stroke
• Mayo Clinic Q and A: Aphasia can be the first sign of stroke

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Some severe headaches aren't migraines. They may be caused by a nerve being pinched. When other treatments don't work, surgery may offer relief. Learn more from Dr. Antonio Forte, a Mayo Clinic microvascular plastic and reconstructive surgeon with deep experience in migraine surgery.

Watch: The Mayo Clinic Minute

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Often called trigger site-induced headaches, pain from compressed nerves can last all day and be resistant to treatments like medication.

"Headaches that originate from compression of the occipital nerve will usually have a pain that starts on the back of the neck and radiates to the side of the head," says Dr. Forte. "Patients who have headaches that originate from compression of the supraorbital and supratrochlear nerve, they will usually start with a pain site that is above their eye, and that pain will radiate to their forehead."

Evaluation and care

Nerves can be compressed by surrounding tissue or muscle. At Mayo Clinic, patients are evaluated by a multidisciplinary team that gathers the necessary data and imaging to develop a personalized care plan, which may include surgical nerve decompression.

Dr. Forte explains that occipital nerve decompression starts with a 5-centimeter incision made along the hairline.

"We are able to then identify your greater occipital nerve and then remove the adjacent muscle and fascia that may be compressing the nerve," he says. "When patients undergo surgery for decompression of the supraorbital or supratrochlear nerve, we then perform an incision that is similar to the incision that we do when we are performing a cosmetic eyelid surgery."

Surrounding tissue is removed to relieve pressure on the nerve. Dr. Forte says many patients feel relief within weeks of nerve decompression surgery.

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John Zajac, a certified golf physical therapist at Mayo Clinic Sports Medicine, demonstrates the best pre-golf dynamic warmup stretches. 

Watch: The Mayo Clinic Minute

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Mayo Clinic doesn’t just advise golfers on stretches and strength. For 25 years, it has served as the official medical sponsor of the WM Phoenix Open, providing on-site care for athletes, event staff and spectators. Supporting one of the world’s largest golf events, from heat-related illness to musculoskeletal injuries, reflects deep expertise in both prevention and knowing when specialized care is needed. 

The golf swing requires coordinated rotation through the hips and upper back. When those areas are stiff, the lower spine often compensates, increasing strain and risk of injury. Spend 5-10 minutes warming up before each round. It helps improve performance and protects your joints. 

These golf warmup stretches help you stay healthy and out of the orthopedics office. See you on the green. 

Related posts:

• Mayo Clinic Minute: 4 physical therapist-recommended golf exercises
• Mayo Clinic Minute: Are the yips just nerves or something more?
• Mayo Clinic Q and A: Golf-related wrist pain and injuries

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