281-647-7766
Visit Us410 West Grand Parkway South
Suite #4C, Katy, TX 77494
Suite #4C, Katy, TX 77494
Office HoursMon – Thu: 8:30 AM – 5:00 PM
Fri: 8:30 – 4:00 · Sat: 9:00 – 1:00
Fri: 8:30 – 4:00 · Sat: 9:00 – 1:00
281-647-7766
Home/Cancer Treatment/Ovarian Cancer
Ovarian cancer often causes vague symptoms, and many women are diagnosed after it has spread. Board-certified oncologists Dr. Shagufta Naqvi and Dr. Mohammad Riaz provide chemotherapy, targeted therapy and maintenance treatment close to home, working with gynecologic oncology surgeons across Houston. Same-day appointments for newly diagnosed patients.
Overview
Ovarian cancer is a cancer that starts in the ovaries, fallopian tubes or the lining of the abdomen (peritoneum). Doctors treat these three as one disease because they behave alike. About 9 in 10 cases are epithelial cancers, and most of those are high-grade serous carcinomas.
Main types of ovarian cancer:
Because the ovaries sit deep in the pelvis, cancer can grow and spread across the abdomen before causing clear symptoms.
The most common symptoms are bloating, pelvic or abdominal pain, trouble eating or feeling full quickly, and urinary urgency or frequency. These are common and usually harmless, but if they are new and happen more than 12 times a month, see your doctor.
Read our guides on ovarian cancer signs and symptoms and feeling full quickly after eating.
The strongest risk factors are inherited mutations in BRCA1 or BRCA2, Lynch syndrome, a family history of ovarian, breast or colorectal cancer, older age and endometriosis. Using birth control pills, pregnancy, breastfeeding and removal of the fallopian tubes all lower the risk.
Women with a strong family history should talk with a genetic counselor. Risk-reducing surgery can be lifesaving for women who carry a mutation. See family history and cancer risk.
A pelvic exam, transvaginal ultrasound and a CA-125 blood test can raise suspicion, and a CT scan shows how far disease has spread. The diagnosis is confirmed by surgery or a biopsy. Stage runs from I (limited to the ovaries) to IV (spread to distant organs).
| Stage | What it means |
|---|---|
| Stage I | Cancer is in one or both ovaries or fallopian tubes |
| Stage II | Spread to other pelvic organs such as the uterus |
| Stage III | Spread to the lining of the abdomen or nearby lymph nodes |
| Stage IV | Spread to distant organs such as the liver or lungs, or fluid around the lungs |
We also test the tumor for BRCA mutations and homologous recombination deficiency (HRD), and sometimes folate receptor alpha. These results decide which maintenance and targeted treatments will help most.
Most women have surgery to remove as much cancer as possible, performed by a gynecologic oncologist, plus about six cycles of carboplatin and paclitaxel chemotherapy. Chemotherapy may be given before surgery to shrink the cancer. Afterward, maintenance therapy with a PARP inhibitor and/or bevacizumab helps keep the cancer from coming back.
Removal of the ovaries, tubes, uterus and any visible cancer by a gynecologic oncology surgeon. We coordinate the referral and timing.
Used for: Nearly all stages
Carboplatin and paclitaxel, usually every 3 weeks for 6 cycles, given in our office. Sometimes started before surgery (neoadjuvant).
Used for: Most epithelial ovarian cancers
Pills such as olaparib or niraparib that keep cancer in remission longer, especially with BRCA or HRD-positive tumors.
Used for: Maintenance after chemotherapy
An antibody that blocks blood vessel growth, given with chemotherapy and as maintenance.
Used for: Advanced and recurrent disease
Targeted treatments such as mirvetuximab soravtansine for tumors that express folate receptor alpha.
Used for: Platinum-resistant recurrence
Management of nausea, neuropathy, bowel symptoms and fluid buildup, plus emotional support.
Used for: Every patient
When ovarian cancer is found before it spreads, more than 9 in 10 women are alive five years later. Because most cases are found at a later stage, the overall five-year survival rate is about 51%. Maintenance therapies have extended remissions for many women in recent years.
Outcomes depend on stage, tumor type, how much cancer remains after surgery and BRCA/HRD status. If ovarian cancer returns, it can often be treated again with chemotherapy and targeted therapy, sometimes for years.
Follow-up visits are usually every 2 to 4 months for the first two years, then less often. Visits include a physical exam, symptom review and often a CA-125 test, with scans when symptoms or lab results change.
We also address menopause symptoms after surgery, bone health, sexual health, nerve damage from chemotherapy and emotional well-being. If you carry a BRCA mutation, we help your family members get genetic testing.
Call 281-647-7766 or request a call back. Newly diagnosed patients can usually be seen the same day. We accept most major insurance plans and Medicare, including AARP, Aetna, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Texas, UnitedHealthcare, Tricare and TMHP, and our staff handles prior authorizations before treatment begins.
Bring your referral, biopsy or pathology report, recent scans and lab results, a list of your medicines and your insurance card. If you do not have every record, call anyway. Our team can request them for you. You can also fill out our patient registration form ahead of time.
Board-Certified Medical Oncologist
Dr. Naqvi brings years of experience treating a wide range of cancers with a focus on personalized medicine, patient advocacy and compassionate care.
Board-Certified Medical Oncologist & Palliative Care Specialist
Dr. Riaz completed a Palliative Medicine Fellowship at the Cleveland Clinic, so patients receive cutting-edge cancer therapy while keeping the highest possible quality of life.
Our oncology office is located at 410 West Grand Parkway South, Suite #4C, Katy, TX 77494, with easy access from I-10 and the Grand Parkway. Patients come to us for ovarian cancer care from Katy, Cinco Ranch, Fulshear, Richmond, Sugar Land, Memorial, the Energy Corridor, West Houston and communities throughout Greater Houston.
Hours: Monday–Thursday 8:30 AM–5:00 PM · Friday 8:30 AM–4:00 PM · Saturday 9:00 AM–1:00 PM
Phone: 281-647-7766 · Fax: 281-647-7767 · Map & directions
No. A Pap test screens for cervical cancer, not ovarian cancer. There is no proven screening test for ovarian cancer in women at average risk.
About 1 in 5 ovarian cancers are linked to inherited mutations, most often BRCA1 or BRCA2. That is why genetic testing is recommended for every woman diagnosed with epithelial ovarian cancer.
CA-125 is a protein measured in a blood test. It is often high in ovarian cancer and is useful for tracking treatment, but it can also be raised by fibroids, endometriosis and other conditions.
A gynecologic oncologist. Women who have surgery with a gynecologic oncologist live longer on average. We can help arrange the referral.
Most women do. Some very early, low-grade cancers can be treated with surgery alone.
Premier Oncology Consultants treats ovarian cancer at 410 West Grand Parkway South, Suite #4C, Katy, TX 77494, serving Katy, Fulshear, Richmond, Sugar Land, Memorial and West Houston.
Sources
This page is for education only and does not replace medical advice from your own physician. Treatment decisions should be made with your care team based on your individual diagnosis.
Same-Day Appointments in Katy
Same-day consultations for newly diagnosed patients, in-office chemotherapy and most insurance accepted, in Katy, serving all of Greater Houston.
Same-Day Appointments · Katy, TX
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