pembrolizumab

Definition of pembrolizumab

pembrolizumab (pem-broh-LIH-zoo-mab): A drug that binds to the protein PD-1 to help immune cells kill cancer cells better and is used to treat many different types of cancer. These include cancers that express the protein PD-L1, that have certain mutations (changes) in genes involved in DNA repair, or that have a high number of tumor mutations. Pembrolizumab is used alone or with other drugs to treat certain types of breast cancer, skin cancer (squamous cell carcinoma of the skin, Merkel cell carcinoma, and melanoma), colorectal cancer, endometrial cancer, renal cell carcinoma (a type of kidney cancer), esophageal cancer, gastroesophageal junction cancer, stomach cancer, non-small cell lung cancer, hepatocellular carcinoma (a type of liver cancer), cervical cancer, urothelial carcinoma (a type of bladder or urinary tract cancer), Hodgkin lymphoma, primary mediastinal large B-cell lymphoma, head and neck cancer, and other solid tumors. It is also being studied in the treatment of other types of cancer. Pembrolizumab may block PD-1 and help the immune system kill cancer cells. It is a type of monoclonal antibody and a type of immune checkpoint inhibitor. Also called Keytruda.

Source: NCI Dictionary of Cancer Terms