Common side effects of KEYTRUDA when given with axitinib include: diarrhea, feeling tired or weak, high blood pressure, liver problems, low levels of thyroid hormone, decreased appetite, blisters or rash on the palms of your hands and soles of your feet, nausea, mouth sores or swelling of the lining of the mouth, nose, eyes, throat, intestines, or vagina, hoarseness, rash, cough, and constipation. Taste changes usually get better after treatment finishes. tiny red or purple spots on the skin that may look like a rash. This treatment can cause changes to the lungs. This means they will be more likely to work for you. Tell your doctor or nurse if you have ever had any problems with your blood pressure. Your doctor will talk to you about how to manage this. You may report side effects to the FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088. Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. Rarely, these side effects could be life threatening. Learn about side effects, warnings, dosage, and more. Herein, we report two patients who developed vision loss while on pembrolizumab treatment. Information on long-term survival is needed to get a better measure of the comparison over time. Women are advised not to breastfeed while having this treatment. Your nurse will check it regularly during your treatment. Whatever cancer throws your way, we’re right there with you. If you are a woman who can bear children, your doctor may give you a pregnancy test before you start using this medicine to make sure you are not pregnant. That means that pembrolizumab may help your immune system continue to attack melanoma cells even after treatment. We’ve created a new account area offering personalised cancer information and support. Your doctor or nurse may talk to you about vaccinations. This is called a platelet transfusion. Subscribe to Drugs.com newsletters for the latest medication news, new drug approvals, alerts and updates. Possible Side Effects of Pembrolizumab. lenvatinib, atezolizumab, Tecentriq, methotrexate, Arimidex, Keytruda, Ibrance, hydroxyurea, fluorouracil, Faslodex. We cannot list every side effect for this treatment. You see a doctor or nurse before you have treatment. vitamins, herbal drugs and complementary therapies. Extensive research was conducted ove… Our Cancer Information Nurse Specialists are dedicated cancer nurses available to talk to on our Macmillan Cancer Support Line. Stomach pain. This treatment can affect how your liver works. Effectiveness. Some side effects may need to be treated with other medicine, and your cancer treatments may be delayed. Pembrolizumab (Keytruda®) is used to treat: It may sometimes be used to treat other cancers. Weight loss . Pembrolizumab vs. nivolumab: how do they compare? A few side effects can occur weeks or months after discontinuation of treatment. These so-called immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICPIs) target these key immune regulatory pathways and thereby unleash a restrained T cell-mediated anti-tumour response [1]. Taste Impairment 15. You can visit the electronic Medicines Compendium (eMC) for more detailed information. How is pembrolizumab (Keytruda) administered? Other conditions can cause these symptoms, but it is important to get them checked straight away. Change in taste. Tell your doctor or nurse if you have any signs of an infection. You are given pembrolizumab at a day unit as an outpatient. They can give you painkillers. Use strong, flavoured sauces or gravies to make food tastier. The easiest way to lookup drug information, identify pills, check interactions and set up your own personal medication records. You will have regular blood tests to check how your kidneys are working. Always tell your dentist you are having cancer treatment. If you feel sick, take small sips of fluids and try to eat small amounts often. Your doctor, nurse or pharmacist will discuss your treatment plan with you. But if your appetite does not come back after a few days, tell your nurse or dietitian. You may also feel unwell with flu-like symptoms such as a high temperature and joint pain. Applies to pembrolizumab: intravenous solution. This treatment can affect the nerves. These side effects happen in more than 10 in 100 people (10%). - Some act as physical/chemical barriers (skin, cornea, membranes in the respiratory tract, gastrointestinal tract, urinary tract and reproductive tract). Is lenvatinib / pembrolizumab used in endometrial cancer? a fever, with a temperature over 37.5°C (99.5°F). Bloating or swelling of the face, arms, hands, lower legs, or feet Contact the hospital straight away if you have either of these symptoms during treatment or after it finishes: This treatment may raise your blood sugar levels. Share this review Report this review. Do not worry if you do not eat much for a day or two. They will give you advice. I had no side effects whatsoever. Contact your doctor straight away if you have either of these symptoms during treatment or after it finishes: If you feel sleepy, do not drive or use machinery. Symptoms include a change in temperature, aching muscles, headaches, feeling cold and shivery and generally unwell. You may need creams, steroids or other medicines. Take the drugs exactly as your nurse or pharmacist explains to you. This treatment can affect your appetite. You may have pembrolizumab every 3 weeks, or every 6 weeks. This treatment may cause headaches. Season food or add spices and herbs to add flavour when cooking. Side effects can become serious if they are not treated. These are some of the most common or important side effects: Immune Reactions. Registered office: 89 Albert Embankment, London SE1 7UQ. Contact your doctor straight away if you have any of these symptoms during treatment or after it finishes: If your symptoms are caused by this treatment, you may need steroids. Some cancer drugs can affect whether you can get pregnant or make someone pregnant. 1. You may need steroids or other treatments. Your cancer doctor or GP can tell you more about live vaccinations. Increased risk of getting an infection is due to a drop in white blood cells. Always tell your doctor or nurse straight away if you notice any skin changes during treatment or after it finishes. Limitations. The most commonly experienced pembrolizumab side effects include (7, 10): anemia (deficiency of red blood cells) change in skin color. 2. If you feel unwell or have any of these signs, tell them straight away. Doctors usually recommend that you have a flu jab, which is an inactivated vaccination. Intense Abdominal Pain 8. If you are worried about this, it is important to talk with your doctor before you start treatment. They may give you food or drink supplements. You should show it to any doctor or healthcare professional you need to see. Contact the hospital straight away if you have any of these symptoms during treatment or after it finishes: You may need to go into hospital to have fluids through a drip (infusion) or other treatments, such as steroids. Isle of Man company number 4694F. In clinical studies, the most commonly reported side effects with pembrolizumab are shown here. They can become serious if you try to treat them yourself. Feeling tired is a common side effect. These help reduce your risk of getting infections. Available for Android and iOS devices. If you have diabetes, your blood sugar levels may be higher than usual. O 0. Side effects. The interest has grown recently in ICPIs as anti-cancer agents. Receiving this medicine while you are pregnant can harm your unborn baby. Share experiences, ask questions and talk to people who understand. Data sources include IBM Watson Micromedex (updated 7 Dec 2020), Cerner Multum™ (updated 4 Dec 2020), ASHP (updated 3 Dec 2020) and others. What type of cancer is pembrolizumab used for? Some foods may taste different or have no taste. Your doctor will talk to you about this treatment and the possible side effects before you agree (consent) to have treatment. 200 mg every 3 weeks, for information on dose delay or interruption due to side-effects and infusion-related reactions—consult product literature. This treatment can cause constipation. Some cancer treatments can cause severe side effects. You might have one or more of them. Some side effects may occur during the injection. 1. If you feel unwell or need advice, you can call at any time of the day or night. Only two cases of pulmonary side effects with pembrolizumab have thus far been described: one case of OP occurring after four infusions and one case of mediastinal granulomatosis [13–15]. Cerner Multum, Inc. "UK Summary of Product Characteristics." These cells carry oxygen around the body. You may have tests to check your lungs. Your doctor, nurse or pharmacist can tell you more about this. A Skin Rash 2. Effects on the lungs. Merck & Company Inc, Whitehouse Station, NJ. This is not common, but can be serious. This can sometimes cause more serious side effects, including: This is not a complete list of side effects and others may occur. This treatment may cause delayed side effects. Rarely, these may be life-threatening. You may report side effects to Health Canada at 1-866-234-2345. Pembrolizumab affects your immune system, and can cause side effects in many different parts of your body. Ask your doctor or pharmacist for more information. Back, bone, joint, or muscle pain. Available from: URL: http://www.appco.com.au/appguide/default.asp." Pembrolizumab can affect the immune system. If you have any of these symptoms, contact your doctor or hospital immediately. Side effects of Pembrolizumab. You may gain weight, or your face, ankles and legs may swell. Sometimes liver changes can be serious. If this happens, tell your doctor or nurse. Your donations make it happen. These include: Contact your doctor or the hospital straight away if: This treatment can reduce the number of platelets in your blood. Some medicines can affect how this treatment works or be harmful when you are having it. This treatment can reduce the number of white cells in your blood. Drug class: anti-PD-1 monoclonal antibodies, FDA Approves Merck’s Keytruda (pembrolizumab) in Combination With Chemotherapy for Patients With Locally Recurrent Unresectable or Metastatic Triple‑Negative Breast Cancer Whose Tumors Express PD-L1 (CPS ≥10), FDA Approves Expanded Indication for Merck’s Keytruda (pembrolizumab) in Adult Patients With Relapsed or Refractory Classical Hodgkin Lymphoma (cHL), scaling of the skin on the hands and feet, decrease in urine output or decrease in urine-concentrating ability, difficulty with chewing, swallowing, or talking, irregular, fast or slow, or shallow breathing, pain and swelling in the genitals or anal area, weakness in the arm or leg on one side of the body, sudden and severe, pains in the stomach, side, or abdomen, possibly radiating to the back. Pain In The Muscles Or Bones 14. If you get any signs or feel unwell after you get home, contact the hospital straight away. This treatment can affect your eyes and eyesight. We comply with the HONcode standard for trustworthy health information -. It may cause inflammation in different parts of the body which can cause serious side effects. Blood and urine tests may be needed to check for unwanted effects. These may be done before, during, and sometimes after treatment. ... You should also tell them if … Among patients in the pembrolizumab groups, the most common side effects included fatigue, rash, and itchy skin (pruritus); in the ipilimumab group, the most common side effects were pruritus, diarrhea, fatigue, and rash. Pembrolizumab is a monoclonal antibody used to treat patients with unresectable or metastatic melanoma and disease progression following ipilimumab and, if BRAF V600 mutation positive, a BRAF inhibitor. Your nurse will give you telephone numbers for the hospital. They will give you advice and may change the anti-sickness drug to one that may work better for you. We’re here to provide physical, financial and emotional support. VAT no: 668265007. You may also have an eye check with a specialist eye doctor (ophthalmologist). Melanoma treatments, like pembrolizumab, have side effects, which can sometimes be serious. Kelley Ratermann, ... Frank Davis, in Side Effects of Drugs Annual, 2018. Recommend. Tell your doctor or nurse if you feel like this. Cases presentation: Case 1 - A 58-year-old man was started on pembrolizumab for advanced melanoma. Trouble sleeping. They could happen during treatment, or some months after treatment has finished. Understanding. Last updated on May 8, 2020. Contact the hospital straight away if you notice any of these changes during treatment or after it finishes: You should also tell them if any existing breathing problems get worse. This treatment can cause high blood pressure. If you need medical treatment for any reason other than cancer, always tell the doctor and nurse that you are having cancer treatment. If you are very anaemic, you may need a drip to give you extra red blood cells. Tell your doctor if any of these symptoms are severe or do not go away: joint or back pain; swelling of the of the body or face ; changes in skin color; extreme tiredness or lack of energy; fever; nausea; vomiting; Some side effects … You may have tests to see how well your heart is working. 4 Immunotherapy-related side effects Immunotherapy-related side effects: A summary of key information The immune system and cancer • The immune system consists of many different components in the body. Headache. An anonymous network of people affected by cancer which is free to join. Rarely, a much more serious skin condition can develop. It is given over about 30 minutes. It is important to contact the hospital straight away if you have new symptoms or side effects. Sometimes a reaction can happen a few hours after treatment. If you continue to feel sick, contact the hospital. feeling more hungry or thirsty than usual, passing urine (peeing) more often than usual, problems fastening buttons or doing other fiddly tasks, any weakness, numbness or tingling in your arms, legs or face. Drink at least 2 litres (3½ pints) of fluids each day. hyperglycemia (diabetes) The side effects are mainly immune-related; therefore, the stimulation of the immune system can develop autoimmune reactions towards our body. Try different foods to find out what tastes best to you. He was tolerating the treatment well. Your doctor may give you drugs to control your hormone levels, and to reduce the risk of side effects such as: If you have any of these symptoms during treatment or after it finishes, tell your doctor straight away. This is because the drugs could be passed to the baby through breast milk. Show them your Patient Alert Card. Eat high-fibre foods, such as fruit, vegetables and wholemeal bread. Tell your doctor if you have any side effect that bothers you or that does not go away. "Product Information. This treatment may affect how your body makes hormones. Always tell your cancer doctor about any drugs you are taking or planning to take, such as: Tell other doctors, pharmacists or dentists who prescribe or give you medicines that you are having this cancer treatment. If you have dry lips, using a lip balm can help. You may get a bitter or metal taste in your mouth. Not hungry. Keytruda (pembrolizumab) is a brand-name prescription drug that’s approved to treat several types of cancer. Decreased Appetite 5. This treatment can cause changes to the lungs. This treatment may cause skin changes, including: If you are out in the sun, use a sun cream with a high sun protection factor (at least SPF 30) to protect your skin. any unexplained pain in other parts of your body. Pembrolizumab is an immunotherapy drug. What's going on near you? Agents that block the interaction between programmed cell death 1 (PD-1) receptor and programmed cell death ligand 1 (PD-L1) and which inhibit cytotoxic T lymphocyte antigen 4 (CTLA-4) are transforming the therapeutic landscape in oncology. You may report side effects to FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088. Tell your caregiver if you feel dizzy, light-headed, itchy, hot, sweaty, chilled, or have trouble breathing. Save these numbers in your phone or keep them somewhere safe. We explain the main side effects of this treatment here. Find out about support groups, where to get information and how to get involved with. Description: Pembrolizumab is a humanised immunoglobulin G4 monoclonal antibody which binds to the cell surface receptor programmed death-1 (PD-1), a negative immunoregulatory protein, and prevents it from interacting with ligands PD-L1 and PD-L2.Blockade of the PD-1 pathway results in the reactivation of T-lymphocytes and induction of immune response to tumour cells. You will have regular blood tests to check this. If you have any symptoms or side effects that start during treatment or after treatment finishes, contact your doctor or hospital straight away. It is important to always have the card with you during treatment and after treatment finishes. You usually keep having it for as long as it is working. Patients should talk with their physician to learn more about the side effects of pembrolizumab and other melanoma treatment options. Some side effects may not be reported. Anemia 4. Your doctor may stop your treatment until the skin changes improve. These cells fight infection. Cellulitis If experienced, these tend to have a Less Severe expression 1. Serious side effects seem to happen more often with this drug than with the PD-1 and PD-L1 inhibitors. Tell your doctor if you have any bruising or bleeding that you cannot explain. If experienced, these tend to have a Severe expression 1. Your doctor can prescribe anti-sickness drugs. Talk to your doctor if you are not sure whether it is safe for you to drive. The drip is usually run through a pump, which gives you the treatment over a set time. Side effects sometimes have percentage ranges [example: 14 – 19% have fatigue] because they differed between clinical studies: Fatigue (14 - 19%) Decreased appetite (11 - 14%) Itching (11%) Rash (9 - 10%) Joint pain (9%) Nausea (8 - 11%) feeling that your heart is beating too fast or too slowly. In clinical trials of pembrolizumab and nivolumab, the majority of pneumonitis cases have been reported as mild to moderate in severity, but one death has occurred [ 2 – 4 , 10 ]. The drugs may harm a developing baby. Check with your doctor or nurse immediately if any of the following side effects occur while taking pembrolizumab: Applies to pembrolizumab: intravenous powder for injection, intravenous solution, Very common (10% or more): Peripheral edema (up to 17%)[Ref], Very common (10% or more): Pruritus (up to 30%), rash (up to 29%), vitiligo (up to 11%), Uncommon (0.1% to 1%): Exfoliative dermatitis[Ref], Very common (10% or more): Hyperglycemia (up to 40%), hypertriglyceridemia (up to 25%), Common (1% to 10%): Hypothyroidism, hyperthyroidism, Uncommon (0.1% to 1%): Hypophysitis, adrenal insufficiency[Ref], Very common (10% or more): Nausea (up to 30%), constipation (up to 21%), diarrhea (up to 20%), vomiting (up to 16%), abdominal pain (up to 12%), Very common (10% or more): Anemia (up to 55%), immune-mediated hemolytic anemia[Ref], Very common (10% or more): Hypoalbuminemia (up to 34%), increased aspartate aminotransferase (up to 24%), Very common (10% or more): Hyponatremia (up to 35%), decreased appetite (up to 26%), hypocalcemia (up to 24%)[Ref], Very common (10% or more): Arthralgia (up to 20%), pain in extremity (up to 18%), myalgia (up to 14%), back pain (up to 12%), Uncommon (0.1% to 1%): Arthritis, myositis, myasthenic syndrome, rhabdomyolysis[Ref], Very common (10% or more): Headache (up to 16%), dizziness (up to 11%), Uncommon (0.1% to 1%): Partial seizures[Ref], Uncommon (0.1% to 1%): Uveitis, optic neuritis[Ref], Very common (10% or more): Fatigue (up to 47%), chills (up to 14%), pyrexia (up to 11%), sepsis (up to 10%)[Ref], Very common (10% or more): Insomnia (up to 14%)[Ref], Uncommon (0.1% to 1%): Nephritis, renal failure[Ref], Very common (10% or more): Cough (up to 30%), dyspnea (up to 18%), upper respiratory tract infection (up to 11%).