Keytruda is Not for Everyone–Immunotherapy Needs to be Tailored
SHARE

Fact Checked

SurvivorNet Fact Checking and Medical Review Standards:  

The SurvivorNet News Team creates high quality medical information that complies with our industry leading standards for factual accuracy and sourcing from leading experts at academic medical institutions. Every news article is thoroughly fact-checked by our physician collaborators. We vet each piece of work for factual integrity, impartiality, and clearly label any professional conflicts.

All SurvivorNet articles adhere to the following standards:

  1. All studies and research papers cited are from reputable academic medical institutions or peer-reviewed journals.
  2. When we use data, statistics, or quotes these references link to the original source.
  3. All content related to new treatments, drugs, procedures, and so on must clearly describe availability, side effects, treatment target (such as triple negative breast cancer)
  4. All medical information on SurvivorNet is sourced from respected medical professionals with verified medical credentials and links are provided to these sources.
  5. We strive to give the reader relevant background information and include, clearly-sourced contextual health information in all articles. Readers are clearly alerted to any conflicts of interest from a medical source or the authors of a cited study.
/ Updated March 4th, 2022

Keytruda is Not for Everyone–Immunotherapy Needs to be Tailored

Medical Source: Dr. Anna Pavlick
Weill Cornell Medicine
×

“Keytruda is not for everyone,” says Dr. Anna Pavlick, medical oncologist at Weill Cornell Medicine. She often has patients request the immunotherapy drug in response to a commercial they’ve seen.

It can be an effective immunotherapy, but in certain patients, it may cause severe immune-related adverse effects. Some might need something stronger (or lighter) depending on several factors, including where the melanoma is and how fast it’s spreading.

What is Keytruda?

Keytruda (pembrolizumab) is an immunotherapy drug used to treat several types of cancer, including melanoma. It’s FDA-approved for:

  • Adjuvant treatment of stage IIB and IIC melanoma: To help prevent relapse after the melanoma is surgically removed
  • Adjuvant treatment of stage III melanoma: To help prevent relapse after the melanoma is surgically removed
  • Advanced melanoma: To treat melanoma that has spread to other parts of the body or can’t be removed with surgery

How Does Keytruda Work?

Keytruda works by blocking a protein called PD-1 on the surface of cancer cells and T-cells. This blocks the signals that tell the T-cells to stop attacking the cancer cells. The drug works with your immune system to help find and attack cancer cells.

Keytruda Side Effects

As with any medication, Keytruda may cause side effects. These vary based on whether you’re taking Keytruda alone or in combination with other drugs.

The most common side effects of Keytruda alone include:

  • Fatigue
  • Muscle/bone/joint pain
  • Rash
  • Diarrhea
  • Cough
  • Fever
  • Changes in appetite
  • Itching
  • Shortness of breath
  • Abdominal pain and/or nausea
  • Low thyroid hormone

If you’re taking Keytruda with other medications, you may experience additional side effects. For example, if you’re taking Keytruda with chemotherapy, you may experience weakness or nerve pain. This is not a complete list of side effects.

In some cases, Keytruda may not be the best option for treating melanoma. Your doctor can help you weigh the pros and cons of this drug and determine if it’s the best treatment for you. Don’t hesitate to ask questions about your cancer treatment, including Keytruda.

 

 


Learn more about SurvivorNet's rigorous medical review process.

Dr. Anna Pavlick is a medical oncologist at Weill Cornell Medicine. Read More

“Keytruda is not for everyone,” says Dr. Anna Pavlick, medical oncologist at Weill Cornell Medicine. She often has patients request the immunotherapy drug in response to a commercial they’ve seen.

It can be an effective immunotherapy, but in certain patients, it may cause severe immune-related adverse effects. Some might need something stronger (or lighter) depending on several factors, including where the melanoma is and how fast it’s spreading.

What is Keytruda?

Read More
Keytruda (pembrolizumab) is an immunotherapy drug used to treat several types of cancer, including melanoma. It’s FDA-approved for:

  • Adjuvant treatment of stage IIB and IIC melanoma: To help prevent relapse after the melanoma is surgically removed
  • Adjuvant treatment of stage III melanoma: To help prevent relapse after the melanoma is surgically removed
  • Advanced melanoma: To treat melanoma that has spread to other parts of the body or can’t be removed with surgery

How Does Keytruda Work?

Keytruda works by blocking a protein called PD-1 on the surface of cancer cells and T-cells. This blocks the signals that tell the T-cells to stop attacking the cancer cells. The drug works with your immune system to help find and attack cancer cells.

Keytruda Side Effects

As with any medication, Keytruda may cause side effects. These vary based on whether you’re taking Keytruda alone or in combination with other drugs.

The most common side effects of Keytruda alone include:

  • Fatigue
  • Muscle/bone/joint pain
  • Rash
  • Diarrhea
  • Cough
  • Fever
  • Changes in appetite
  • Itching
  • Shortness of breath
  • Abdominal pain and/or nausea
  • Low thyroid hormone

If you’re taking Keytruda with other medications, you may experience additional side effects. For example, if you’re taking Keytruda with chemotherapy, you may experience weakness or nerve pain. This is not a complete list of side effects.

In some cases, Keytruda may not be the best option for treating melanoma. Your doctor can help you weigh the pros and cons of this drug and determine if it’s the best treatment for you. Don’t hesitate to ask questions about your cancer treatment, including Keytruda.

 

 

Learn more about SurvivorNet's rigorous medical review process.

Dr. Anna Pavlick is a medical oncologist at Weill Cornell Medicine. Read More

Immunotherapy for Melanoma

The development of immunotherapy for melanoma was a major breakthrough. But like any treatment option, risks and benefits should be considered. Immunotherapy has been know to cause severe side effects.

NOW
PLAYING
Tell Your Doctor About Immunotherapy Side Effects
NOW
PLAYING
Side Effects from Immunotherapy Can be Managed
NOW
PLAYING
Immunotherapy for Melanoma Can Work, but Side Effects are a Risk
NOW
PLAYING
Immunotherapy Helps Your Body Help Itself

Later Stage Treatment: Immunotherapy for Melanoma

SEE MORE   

Immunotherapy for melanoma does often work well–but the side effects do need to be considered.

Later Stage

Immunotherapy Helps Your Body Help Itself

Dr. Cecilia Larocca
Dana-Farber Cancer Institute
Later Stage

Immunotherapy for Melanoma Can Work, but Side Effects are a Risk

Dr. Anna Pavlick
Weill Cornell Medicine
Later Stage

Side Effects from Immunotherapy Can be Managed

Dr. Anna Pavlick
Weill Cornell Medicine

Later Stage Treatment: Immunotherapy for Melanoma

Immunotherapy for melanoma does often work well–but the side effects do need to be considered.

Later Stage Treatment: Treatment Options for Metastatic Melanoma

SEE MORE   
Later Stage

'A Game Changer': FDA Approval of Combination Immunotherapy for Advanced Melanoma Offers More Options For Patients

Alison Maxwell
Later Stage

How The FDA's Approval of a New Immunotherapy Improves The Treatment of Eye Cancer

Julie Ryan Evans

Dr. Anna Pavlick

Weill Cornell Medicine
Later Stage

Immunotherapy Needs to be Tailored

Dr. Anna Pavlick
Weill Cornell Medicine
Later Stage

Radiation is Effective for Certain Metastatic Melanoma Patients

Dr. Anna Pavlick
Weill Cornell Medicine
Later Stage

A Melanoma Vaccine for Metastatic Patients

Dr. Cecilia Larocca
Dana-Farber Cancer Institute

Later Stage Treatment: Treatment Options for Metastatic Melanoma

Later Stage Treatment: On the Horizon

Later Stage

Melanoma Relapse Treatment: Advances on the Horizon

Lindsay Modglin
Treatment

The Future of Biomarkers in Melanoma Treatment

Lindsay Modglin
Later Stage

Melanoma Relapse Treatment: Advances on the Horizon

Lindsay Modglin
Treatment

The Future of Biomarkers in Melanoma Treatment

Lindsay Modglin

Later Stage Treatment: Should I Consider Clinical Trials?

SEE MORE   

Why I'd Choose a Clinical Trial For Myself

Dr. Ben Neel
NYU Perlmutter Cancer Center
Treatment

When Should I Consider Clinical Trials?

Dr. Leena Gandhi
Dana-Farber Cancer Institute

Dr. Alana Welm

Huntsman Cancer Institute
Later Stage

Clinical Trials and What Statistics Really Mean

Dr. Scott Strome
University of Maryland
Treatment

The Father of Immunotherapy Recommends Multiple Opinions

Dr. Steven Rosenberg
National Cancer Institute

Later Stage Treatment: Should I Consider Clinical Trials?

Related Articles

Redheaded Tanning Fan, 43, Spots ‘Strange Freckle’ On Her Stomach While Brushing Her Teeth In Her Underwear: It Turned Out To Be Cancer

Texas Mom, 38, Is Shocked To Get Melanoma On Her Bottom ‘In A Place Where The Sun Don’t Shine’

Later Stage

Comprehensive Biomarker Testing for Lung Cancer: Who Needs It & What’s It For?

Later Stage

New Data at ASCO: Encouraging Results For Immunotherapy in Advanced Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer

×

Introducing, the Journey Bar

Use this bar to access information about the steps in your cancer journey.