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Explore immunotherapy as a cancer treatment option

KEYTRUDA® (pembrolizumab) is an immunotherapy that works by helping your immune system fight your cancer.

What is Immunotherapy?

Cancer immunotherapy helps your immune system do what it is designed to do: help your own body fight cancer. Watch this video to learn more.

KEYTRUDA may be used to treat patients with the following types of cancers


Cervical cancer

KEYTRUDA may be used, but is not funded, in certain women with cervical cancer that does not go away, has returned or has spread.

Classical Hodgkin lymphoma

KEYTRUDA may be used, but is not funded, in adults and children with classical Hodgkin lymphoma that has returned or when other treatments have not worked.

Colorectal cancer

KEYTRUDA may be used, but is not funded, in certain adults and children with colorectal cancer that is shown by a laboratory test to be MSI-H (microsatellite instability-high) or dMMR (mismatch repair deficient), and that has spread or cannot be removed by surgery.

Cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma

KEYTRUDA® may be used, but is not funded, in patients with recurrent or metastatic cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma (cSCC) or locally advanced cSCC that is not curable by surgery or radiation.

Endometrial carcinoma

KEYTRUDA may be used, but is not funded, in certain adult women with endometrial carcinoma that cannot be cured by surgery or radiation (advanced).

Head & neck squamous cell carcinoma

KEYTRUDA may be used, but is not funded, in certain adults with head and neck squamous cell carcinoma that has spread or returned and cannot be removed by surgery.

Melanoma

KEYTRUDA is funded (restrictions apply), in adults with melanoma that has spread or cannot be removed by surgery. KEYTRUDA may be used, but is not funded, in certain adults and children with melanoma given after surgery to prevent the cancer from coming back.

MSI-H/dMMR cancer

KEYTRUDA may be used, but is not funded, in certain adults and children with a kind of cancer that can occur in any part of the body and is shown by a laboratory test to be MSI-H (microsatellite instability-high) or dMMR (mismatch repair deficient), and that has spread or cannot be removed by surgery.

Non-small cell lung cancer

KEYTRUDA is funded (restrictions apply) for the treatment of certain patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) which has spread (metastatic), or is advanced and cannot be removed by surgery. KEYTRUDA may be used, but is not funded, in adults with certain types of early stage NSCLC, given after surgery to prevent the cancer from coming back.

Oesophageal carcinoma

KEYTRUDA may be used, but is not funded, in adults with cancer of the oesophagus or gastroesophageal junction that has spread or cannot be removed by surgery.

Renal cell carcinoma

KEYTRUDA may be used, but is not funded, in adults with renal cell carcinoma that has spread or cannot be removed by surgery, or in adults with certain types of renal cell carcinoma, given after surgery to prevent the cancer from coming back.

Triple-negative breast cancer

KEYTRUDA may be used, but is not funded, in certain adults with triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) that has returned and cannot be removed by surgery, or has spread; or in adults with certain types of early stage TNBC given before surgery and then continued after surgery to help prevent the cancer from coming back.

Urothelial carcinoma or bladder cancer

KEYTRUDA may be used, but is not funded, in certain adults with urothelial carcinoma that has spread or cannot be removed by surgery, or in certain adults with bladder cancer which has not spread to nearby tissues but is at high-risk of spreading and where bladder removal is not preferred.

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Questions to ask your doctor

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Private cancer care providers

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Frequently asked questions

The information on this website should be discussed with your healthcare professional and does not replace their advice.

References:

KEYTRUDA Data Sheet

Cancer Council Australia. 2021. Understanding Immunotherapy. A guide for people affected by cancer.
Available at: https://www.cancer.org.au/assets/pdf/understanding-immunotherapy-fact-sheet
Accessed on 02/06/2023

KEYTRUDA Consumer Medicine Information

NZ-KEY-00863. TAPS DA 2339KN TAPS NP20132. First Issued February 2024.