Keytruda (Pembrolizumab) for Melanoma

Overview
Keytruda is approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for the treatment of individuals with unresectable (inoperable) or metastatic melanoma, as well as for the adjuvant (post-surgical) treatment of adult and children 12 and up with stage 2B, 2C, or 3 melanoma following complete resection. Keytruda is also known by its drug name, pembrolizumab.

Pembrolizumab belongs to a category of drugs known as programmed death receptor-1 (PD-1) blocking antibodies. It works by enhancing the body’s immune system to help detect and fight tumor cells. Keytruda has shown efficacy in treating melanoma by targeting the PD-1 receptor on T cells, thereby activating the immune system to attack cancer cells.

How do I take it?
Keytruda is administered as an intravenous infusion over 30 minutes. According to the prescribing information, it’s generally administered every three weeks or every six weeks for adults, depending on the dose size. For children, it’s generally administered every three weeks. 

Side effects
According to prescribing information, the most common side effects of Keytruda include fatigue, musculoskeletal pain, rash, diarrhea, pyrexia (fever), cough, decreased appetite, pruritus (itchiness), dyspnea (difficulty breathing), constipation, pain, abdominal pain, nausea, and hypothyroidism (reduced thyroid function). Other common side effects may occur when it’s taken alongside other treatments.

Rare but serious side effects may include immune-mediated adverse reactions; infusion-related reactions; complications of allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT); and fetal harm.

For more information about this treatment, visit:

Highlights of Prescribing Information: Keytruda — U.S. Food and Drug Administration