Written By: JOINAMEETOFFICIAL
Date: 4/21/2023
Keytruda (pembrolizumab) is a type of immunotherapy drug that works by helping the body's immune system fight cancer cells. It is used to treat several types of cancer, including melanoma, non-small cell lung cancer, head and neck squamous cell carcinoma, classical Hodgkin lymphoma, urothelial carcinoma, and other cancers.
Keytruda is given as an intravenous infusion, typically every three weeks. It can cause side effects, such as fatigue, nausea, diarrhea, and skin rashes, but most people tolerate it well. Keytruda has been shown to be effective in treating many types of cancer, and it is being studied for use in other types of cancer as well.
Keytruda belongs to a class of drugs called checkpoint inhibitors. Checkpoints are molecules on immune cells that prevent them from attacking healthy cells in the body. Cancer cells can take advantage of these checkpoints to avoid being attacked by the immune system. Keytruda blocks a checkpoint called PD-1, which allows the immune system to recognize and attack cancer cells.
PD-1 (programmed cell death protein 1) is a protein found on the surface of certain immune cells in the body. PD-1 helps regulate the immune system by controlling the activity of T cells, a type of immune cell that can recognize and attack foreign or abnormal cells, including cancer cells.
In some cases, cancer cells can take advantage of PD-1 to evade the immune system. They can produce a protein called PD-L1 (programmed death-ligand 1) that binds to PD-1 on T cells, effectively turning off the immune response and allowing the cancer cells to continue growing unchecked.
Colon cancer is a type of cancer that affects the colon, which is the large intestine. It is one of the most common types of cancer worldwide. In recent years, PD-1 inhibitors, such as Keytruda (pembrolizumab) and Opdivo (nivolumab), have been approved for the treatment of certain types of colon cancer.
Clinical studies have shown that PD-1 inhibitors can be effective in treating certain patients with colon cancer, particularly those with advanced or metastatic disease that has not responded to other treatments. PD-1 inhibitors work by blocking the interaction between PD-1 on T cells and PD-L1 on cancer cells, allowing the immune system to recognize and attack the cancer cells.
PD-1 inhibitors are usually given as an intravenous infusion, typically every two to three weeks. They can cause side effects, such as fatigue, nausea, diarrhea, and skin rashes, but most people tolerate them well.
PD-1 inhibitors have shown promising results in treating colon cancer, and ongoing research is exploring their potential use in combination with other treatments to improve outcomes for patients with this disease.
You can learn more about PD-1 inhibitors by going to https://www.cancer.gov/publications/dictionaries/cancer-terms/def/immune-checkpoint-inhibitor