What KEYTRUDA is used for
KEYTRUDA is used to treat:
a kind of skin cancer called melanoma.
a kind of lung cancer called non-small cell lung cancer.
a kind of head and neck cancer called head and neck squamous cell carcinoma
a kind of cancer called classical Hodgkin Lymphoma
a kind of cancer called urothelial carcinoma, including bladder cancer
Note: KEYTRUDA is approved for head and neck cancer on the basis of limited, early clinical trial results. An ongoing trial is being conducted to establish safety, survival and quality of life outcomes.
KEYTRUDA contains the active substance pembrolizumab.
Adults get KEYTRUDA when their cancer has spread or cannot be taken out by surgery.
KEYTRUDA works by helping your immune system fight your cancer.
Ask your doctor if you have any questions about why KEYTRUDA has been prescribed for you.
KEYTRUDA may be given in combination with chemotherapy medicines called pemetrexed and either carboplatin or cisplatin. It is important that you also read the Consumer Medicine Information for these medicines. If you have any questions about pemetrexed, carboplatin, or cisplatin please ask your doctor.
This medicine is available only with a doctor's prescription.
Side Effects
Like all medicines, KEYTRUDA can cause side effects, although not everybody gets them. Your doctor will discuss these with you and will explain the risks and benefits of your treatment.
When you get KEYTRUDA, you can have some serious side effects.
These side effects can sometimes become life-threatening and can lead to death. These side effects may happen anytime during treatment or even after your treatment has ended. You may experience more than one side effect at the same time.
If you have any of the following symptoms, call or see your doctor right away.
Signs and symptoms of lung problems
shortness of breath
chest pain
coughing
Signs and symptoms of problems with your intestines
diarrhoea or more bowel movements than usual
your stools are black, tarry, sticky or have blood or mucus
severe stomach pain or tenderness
Signs and symptoms of liver problems
nausea or vomiting
feeling less hungry
pain on the right side of your stomach
your skin looks yellow
the whites of your eyes look yellow
dark urine
you bleed or bruise more easily than normal
Signs and symptoms of kidney problems
changes in the amount or colour of your urine
Signs and symptoms of hormone gland problems (especially the thyroid, pituitary, and adrenal glands)
rapid heart beat
weight loss
increased sweating
weight gain
hair loss
feeling cold
constipation
your voice gets deeper
muscle aches
dizziness or fainting
headaches that will not go away or unusual headache
Signs and symptoms of blood sugar problems
feeling more hungry or thirsty
needing to urinate more often
weight loss
Signs and symptoms of skin problems
rash
itching
skin blistering, peeling or sores
ulcers in mouth or in lining of nose, throat, or genital area
Signs and symptoms of problems in other organs
muscle pain or weakness
changes in eyesight
stomach area pain with nausea and vomiting (pancreatitis)
confusion, fever, memory problems, or seizures (encephalitis)
swollen lymph nodes, rash or tender lumps on skin, cough, or eye pain (sarcoidosis)
shortness of breath, irregular heartbeat, feeling tired, or chest pain (myocarditis)
Signs and symptoms of infusion (IV) reactions
shortness of breath
itching or rash
dizziness
fever
There are possible side effects of treatment with KEYTRUDA in people who have received a transplant
Rejection of a transplanted organ.
People who have had an organ transplant may have an increased risk of organ transplant rejection. Your doctor should tell you what signs and symptoms you should report and monitor you, depending on the type of organ transplant that you have had.
Complications, including graft-versus-host-disease (GVHD), in people with bone marrow (stem cell) transplant that uses donor stem cells (allogeneic).
These complications can be severe and can lead to death. They may occur if you had this kind of transplant in the past or if you get it in the future. Your doctor will monitor you for the following signs and symptoms: skin rash, liver inflammation, abdominal pain, and diarrhoea.
The following side effects have been reported in clinical trials:
Very common (may affect more than 1 in 10 people)
diarrhoea, nausea
itching, rash
joint pain
back pain
feeling tired
cough
patches of skin which have lost colour
stomach pain
decreased sodium levels in the blood
fever
infections of the upper respiratory tract
The following side effects have been reported in more than 1 in 5 people when KEYTRUDA was given in combination with chemotherapy:
feeling tired
nausea, vomiting, diarrhoea
constipation
shortness of breath
rash, itching
headache
hair loss
infections of the upper respiratory tract
Less common side effects can happen.
Also, your doctor may do blood tests to check for side effects.
KEYTRUDA may cause other side effects that are not listed. For more information, ask your doctor.
If you have any side effect that bothers you or that does not go away, tell your doctor.
Ask your doctor to answer any questions you may have.
