Immunotherapy / PD-1 inhibitorPhase 3 trialInvestigational
PDR001
Generic name: pembrolizumab
How it works
Blocks the PD-1 receptor on immune cells, allowing them to recognize and attack cancer cells more effectively.
Cancer types
Melanoma— All patients
Efficacy
Studies show that pembrolizumab can improve overall survival in patients with advanced melanoma, with a median overall survival of approximately 10.5 months.
Side effects
Moderate
Side effects can be significant and may require dose adjustments or supportive medication, but the treatment is usually continued.
Evidence from research
| Study | Cancer type | Stage | Efficacy | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Combining Gut Bacteria and Immunotherapy Shows Promise in Cancer Treatment | Lung Cancer | phase-1 | In ICI-naïve NSCLC (n=12) with programmed death-ligand 1 (PD-L1) >50%, the overall response rate (ORR) and disease control rate (DCR) were 58% and 75%, respectively. | Source → |
| Talabostat and Pembrolizumab Show Some Effectiveness in Treating Aggressive Prostate Cancer | Prostate Cancer | phase-2 | The composite response rate was 20% (95% CI 7.7% to 38.6%) and the objective response rate was 13% (95% CI 3.8% to 30.7%). | Source → |
| Pembrolizumab Shows Promise in Treating Advanced Anal Cancer | Colorectal Cancer | observational | The objective response rate was 13.5%, with two complete and three partial responses. | Source → |
| Combination Therapy for Metastatic Melanoma and Renal Cell Carcinoma | Melanoma | phase-2 | — | Source → |
| Combination Therapy for Advanced Lung Cancer: A Phase 3 Clinical Trial | Lung Cancer | phase-3 | — | Source → |
| Evaluating a New Treatment Combination for Advanced Lung Cancer | Lung Cancer | phase-3 | — | Source → |
| Combination Therapy for Advanced Lung Cancer | Lung Cancer | phase-3 | — | Source → |
| Longer Pembrolizumab Therapy May Improve Survival in Advanced Melanoma | Melanoma | observational | Long-term therapy significantly reduced overall mortality (HR = 0.41, 95% CI: 0.27-0.62) compared with short-term therapy. | Source → |
| Pembrolizumab for Metastatic Prostate Cancer After Enzalutamide Treatment | Prostate Cancer | phase-2 | — | Source → |
| Ovarian Cancer Treatment Trial Investigates New Combination Therapy | Ovarian Cancer | phase-1 | — | Source → |
| Testing Pembrolizumab in Children with Advanced Cancer | Melanoma | phase-1 | — | Source → |
| Testing a New Combination Therapy for Advanced Non-small Cell Lung Cancer | Lung Cancer | phase-1 | — | Source → |
| Pembrolizumab and Lenvatinib in Advanced/Metastatic Neuroendocrine Prostate Cancer | Prostate Cancer | phase-2 | — | Source → |
| Rare Complications from Long-Term Cancer Treatment | Lung Cancer | observational | — | Source → |
| Pembrolizumab Improves Survival in Early-Stage Triple-Negative Breast Cancer | Breast Cancer | phase-3 | The hazard ratios for event-free survival were 0.70 (0.38-1.31), 0.92 (0.39-2.20), 0.52 (0.32-0.82), and 1.24 (0.69-2.23) across different residual cancer burden categories. | Source → |
| Pembrolizumab Dosage Study in Lung Cancer Patients | Lung Cancer | observational | The overall survival rate was 36.6% in the fixed-dose group and 37.7% in the weight-based dose group. | Source → |
| Immunotherapy Shows Promise for Advanced Colorectal Cancer | Colorectal Cancer | phase-2 | — | Source → |
| New Options for Lung Cancer Treatment After Surgery | Lung Cancer | phase-3 | Improved disease-free survival and, in case of PD-L1 at least 50%, also improved overall survival for atezolizumab compared to best supportive care. | Source → |
| Rare Cancer Patient Shows Response to Immunotherapy | Melanoma | observational | — | Source → |
This information is provided for general education only and is not medical advice. Always consult a qualified healthcare professional before making treatment decisions.