The FDA recently granted accelerated approval for pembroluzimab (Keytruda) for HNSCC, so head/neck cancer patients can now get it without having to go thru the clinical trial route! This is FANTASTIC news to many people like myself who had no other treatment options available.

I just started on pembro yesterday and the side effects so far have been mild. I was given tylenol and benadryl as pre-meds. I was told one of the side effects could be flu-like symptoms, which I've experienced, and which the tylenol was for. That, and being sleepy from the benadryl, have been my only side effects so far, although it's possible more side effects may kick in in a few days.

According to my oncologists, pembro is extremely effective. It was previously approved for melanoma, non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) and several other cancers. You may have heard of what some call a "wonder drug", nivolumab (Opdivo), or seen the commercial for it on TV. It is very similar to pembro. One of my oncologists says they are like Coke and Pepsi. Another oncologist said they are the same thing, although she meant that figuratively and not literally.

My attending oncologist said the side effects in his patients have been well tolerated, better than other drugs, including cetuximab.

Unfortunately, it can only be given in a palliative dose. There is not a stronger dose they can give you for curative intent. Also, they can only give it to you for 12-18 months.

Hope that helps.