Get notified of page updates
Sign Up for FORCE
Newsletters
Read about cancer treatment options listed by gene mutation, type of cancer and type of treatment.
Read about cancer treatment options listed by gene mutation, type of cancer and type of treatment.
Cancer Treatment > By Treatment Type > Immunotherapy > Indications
Immunotherapies used to treat cancer
Immunotherapies are used to treat a portion of patients for almost every type of cancer. Some immunotherapies only work for a select group of people whose tumors express certain features. Tumor tests can help determine which patients are more or less likely to benefit from these therapies.
The choice of immunotherapies vary by cancer type, and situation. Many of the available immunotherapies are used for advanced or cancers. Visit the Cancer Treatment by Cancer Type section for more information on immunotherapies for a specific type of cancer.
The following are common immunotherapies. This is not a complete list of all immunotherapies or indications. Speak with your doctor about other treatments which may be available.
Immune checkpoint inhibitors
| Cancer type | Indication | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Keytruda (pembrolizumab) | or unresectable | For treatment of that have progressed after treatment and for which there are no other treatment options | High (MSI-H) or () |
| or unresectable | For the treatment of that have progressed following prior treatment and who have no satisfactory alternative treatment options | High (TMB-H) | |
| Triple-Negative Breast Cancer | Combined with chemotherapy for treatment of locally recurrent unresectable or triple negative breast cancer | and PD-L1-positive | |
| or unresectable colorectal cancer | For first-line treatment of or unresectable colorectal cancer | High (MSI-H) or () | |
| or unresectable colorectal cancer | Cancer that has progressed following treatment with a fluoropyrimidine, oxaliplatin, and irinotecan | High (MSI-H) or () | |
| Advanced endometrial cancer | Combined with Lenvima (lenvatinib) for patients whose cancer has progressed after prior therapy and who are not candidatesfor surgery or radiation | Negative for () or negative for () | |
| or unresectable melanoma | For the treatment of patients with melanoma | No required | |
| Melanoma | For the treatment of patients with involvement of lymph node(s) following complete resection | No required | |
| Opdivo (nivolumab) |
colorectal cancer | As a single agent or in combination with Yervoy (ipilimumab) for cancer that has progressed following treatment with a fluoropyrimidine, oxaliplatin, and irinotecan | High (MSI-H) or () |
| or unresectable melanoma | As a single agent or combined with ipilimumab | No required | |
| or lymph node positive melanoma | For the treatment of patients following complete resection | No required | |
| Tecentriq (atezolizumab) | breast cancer | Combined with Abraxane (protein-bound paclitaxel) | Triple-negative ( and ) PD-L1-positive |
| Yervoy (ipilumumab) | colorectal cancer | Combined with Opdivo (nivolumab) for cancer that has progressed following treatment with a fluoropyrimidine, oxaliplatin, and irinotecan | High (MSI-H) or () |
| or unresectable melanoma | For the treatment of patients with melanoma | No required | |
| Melanoma | treatment of patients with cutaneous melanoma with pathologic involvement of regional of more than 1 mm who have undergone complete resection, including total lymphadenectomy | No required |
Monoclonal antibiodies
| Cancer type | Indication | Type of agent | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Avastin (bevacizumab) |
2-4 ovarian, fallopian tube or primary peritoneal cancer |
Combined with Lynparza (olaparib) for first-line, for platinum-sensitive cancer |
|
Monoclonal antibody targeting vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) |
| 3-4 ovarian, or primary peritoneal cancer | Combined with chemotherapy, followed by Avastin as a single agent following initial surgical resection | No required | Monoclonal antibody targeting vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) | |
| Recurrent ovarian, or primary peritoneal cancer | Combined with chemotherapy for platinum-resistant recurrent disease who received no more than 2 prior chemotherapy regimens | No required | Monoclonal antibody targeting vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) | |
| Recurrent ovarian, or primary peritoneal cancer | Combined with chemotherapy, followed by Avastin as a single agent, for platinum-sensitive recurrent diesase | No required | Monoclonal antibody targeting vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) | |
| colorectal cancer | Combined with intravenous 5-fluorouracil-based chemotherapy for first- or second-line treatment | No required | Monoclonal antibody targeting vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) | |
| colorectal cancer | In combination with chemotherapy for second-line treatment in patients who have progressed on a first-line Avastin-containing regimen | No required | Monoclonal antibody targeting vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) | |
| Cyramza (ramucirumab) |
colorectal cancer | Combined with FOLFIRI chemotherapy, for treatment after disease progression on, or after prior therapy with bevacizumab, oxaliplatin, and a fluoropyrimidine | No required | Monoclonal antibody targeting vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) |
| Erbitux (cetuximab) |
colorectal cancer | Combined with FOLFIRI for first-line treatment, or combined with irinotecan for cancers that no longer respond to irinotecan-based chemotherapy or as a single agent in patients who have progressed after oxaliplatin- and irinotecan-based chemotherapy | EGFR positive and KRAS mutation negative | Monoclonal antibody targeting epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) |
| Herceptin (trastuzumab) |
Breast cancer | The treatment of breast cancer | overexpression () | Antibody targeting receptors |
| Kadcyla (trastuzumab emtansine) |
Breast cancer | treatment of patients with early breast cancer who have residual invasive disease after taxane and trastuzumab-based treatment | overexpression () | Antibody-drug conjugate targeting receptors |
| Perjeta (pertuzumab) |
Breast cancer | Combined with Herceptin (trastuzumab) and docetaxel as treatment of patients with , locally advanced, inflammatory, or early breast cancer | overexpression () | Antibody targeting receptors |
| Phesgo (pertuzumab, trastuzumab combined injection) | Breast cancer |
Prior to surgery ( treatment) when the tumor is greater than 2 cm in diameter or node-positive or after surgery ( treatment) for early breast cancer that has a high likelihood of coming back |
overexpression () | Antibody targeting receptors |
| Trodelvy (sacituzumab govitecan-hziy) | breast cancer | For breast cancer that progressed, recurred or did not respond to at least two previous lines of treatment | Triple-negative (, ) | Antibody-drug conjugate (chemotherapy attached to antibody found in ) |
| Vectibix (panitumumab) |
colorectal cancer | Combined with FOLFOX for first-line treatment | Negative for KRAS and NRAS tumor mutation | Monoclonal antibody targeting epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) |
| colorectal cancer | As a single therapy following disease progression after prior treatment with fluoropyrimidine, oxaliplatin, and irinotecan-containing chemotherapy | Negative for KRAS and NRAS tumor mutations | Monoclonal antibody targeting epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) |
Nonspecific immunotherapies
| Cancer type | Indication | |
|---|---|---|
| Proleukin® (aldesleukin) | melanoma | For the treatment of patients with melanoma |
| Intron A | Melanoma | As to surgical treatment in patients 18 years of age or older with melanoma who are free of disease but at high risk for systemic recurrence, within 56 days of surgery |
| Sylatron | Melanoma | As treatment of melanoma with nodal involvement within 84 days of surgery |
Cancer vaccines
| Cancer type | Indication | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Provenge (sipuleucel-T) | castration resistant cancer (mCRPC) | For the treatment of asymptomatic or minimally symptomatic castrate resistant cancer | No required |
| Imlygic (T-VEC or talimogene laherparepvec) | Unresectable recurrent melanoma | For local treatment of cutaneous, subcutaneous, and nodal lesions in patients with melanoma recurrent after initial surgery | No required |