Immunotherapies are used for treatment for many types of cancer. Some immunotherapies only work for certain tumors that have certain features. Tumor tests can help determine which patients are more likely to benefit from these therapies.
The choice of immunotherapies vary by cancer type, and situation. 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 are drugs that prevent cancer cells from switching off immune cells. This allows the immune system to find, unmask and destroy cancer cells. The table below lists some common immune checkpoint inhibitors used in cancer treatment. Clincal trials are studying new vaccines as treatment for cancer.
Table of Immune Checkpoint Inhibitors: This table lists commonly used immune checkpoint inhibitors and their indications.
Drug
Cancer Type
Stage
Use
Biomarker
Imfinzi (durvalumab)
Endometrial cancer
Recurrent or advanced endometrial cancer
In combination with chemotherapy, followed by Imfinzi alone to treat primary advanced or recurrent endometrial cancer
( or )
Jemperli (dostarlimab)
Rectal cancer
Stage 2 or 3 rectal cancer
Before surgery () to shrink tumor. The use of this drug in colorectal cancer is not approved yet. It is included in the NCCN expert guidelines as an off-label treatment option based on very promising research results
High (MSI-H) or Mismatch Repair Deficiency (dMMR or MMR-D)
Jemperli (dostarlimab)
Colorectal cancer
or unresectable colorectal cancer
Treatment for people who's cancer progressed after chemotherapy
Microsatellite Instability High (MSI-H) or Mismatch Repair Deficiency (dMMR or MMR-D)
Jemperli (dostarlimab)
Endometrial cancer
Recurrent or advanced endometrial cancer
In combination with chemotherapy, followed by Jemperli alone to treat primary advanced or recurrent endometrial cancer
No biomarker required
Jemperli (dostarlimab)
Endometrial cancer
Recurrent or advanced endometrial cancer
For treatment of recurrent or advanced endometrial cancer that is mismatch repair deficient (dMMR) that has progressed on or following a prior platinum-containing regimen.
Mismatch Repair Deficiency (dMMR or MMR-D)
Keytruda (pembrolizumab)
Breast cancer
Early stage TNBC at high risk for recurrence
Before surgery Keytruda is used along with chemotherapy as neoadjuvant therapy. Following surgery, Keytruda is continued alone
Triple-negative (, )
Keytruda (pembrolizumab)
Breast cancer
Metastatic or locally-recurrent unresectable tumors
As treatment in combination with chemotherapy
Triple-negative (ER/PR-negative and HER2-negative) and PD-L1-positive
Keytruda (pembrolizumab)
Colorectal cancer
Metastatic or unresectable colorectal cancer
For treatment of metastatic or unresectable colorectal cancer
Microsatellite Instability High (MSI-H) or Mismatch Repair Deficiency (dMMR or MMR-D)
Keytruda (pembrolizumab)
Colorectal cancer
Metastatic or unresectable colorectal cancer
For cancer that has progressed following treatment with a fluoropyrimidine, oxaliplatin, and irinoteca
Microsatellite Instability High (MSI-H) or Mismatch Repair Deficiency (dMMR or MMR-D)
Keytruda (pembrolizumab)
Endometrial cancer
Advanced or metastatic endometrial cancer
For advanced or recurrent endometrial cancer that came back or got worse after previous treatment and for which there are no other treatment options
Microsatellite Instability High (MSI-H) or Mismatch Repair Deficiency (dMMR or MMR-D)
Keytruda (pembrolizumab)
Endometrial cancer
Advanced or metastatic endometrial cancer
Combined with Lenvima (lenvatinib) for patients whose cancer has progressed after treatment and who are not candidates for surgery or radiation
Tumors that are not MSI-H or dMMR (or MMR-D) - they may be referred to as MSI-Low, MSS, pMMR or MMR-P).
Keytruda (pembrolizumab)
Any solid tumor
Metastatic or unresectable
For treatment of solid tumors that have progressed after treatment and for which there are no other treatment options
Microsatellite Instability High (MSI-H) or Mismatch Repair Deficiency (dMMR or MMR-D)
Keytruda (pembrolizumab)
Any solid tumor
Metastatic or unresectable solid tumors
For treatment of tumors that have progressed after treatment and for which there are no other treatment options
Tumor Mutational Burden-High (TMB-H)
Opdivo (nivolumab)
Colorectal cancer
Metastatic 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
Microsatellite Instability High (MSI-H) or Mismatch Repair Deficiency (dMMR or MMR-D)
Opdivo (nivolumab)
Melanoma
Metastatic or unresectable melanoma
As a single agent or combined with ipilimumab
No biomarker required
Opdivo (nivolumab)
Melanoma
Metastatic or lymph node positive melanoma
For the treatment of people with following complete removal of the cancer
No biomarker required
Tecentriq (atezolizumab)
Melanoma
Metastatic or unresectable melanoma
Combined with Cotellic and Zelboraf in people with melanoma that has the BRAF gene mutation, when the cancer can’t be removed by surgery or has spread to other parts of the body
BRAF V600E or V600K tumor mutation
Tecentriq (atezolizumab)
Melanoma
Metastatic or unresectable melanoma
Combined with Cotellic and Zelboraf in people with melanoma that has the BRAF gene mutation, when the cancer can’t be removed by surgery or has spread to other parts of the body
BRAF V600E or V600K tumor mutation
Yervoy (ipilumumab)
Colorectal cancer
Metastatic colorectal cancer
Combined with Opdivo (nivolumab) for cancer that has progressed following treatment with a fluoropyrimidine, oxaliplatin, and irinotecan
Microsatellite Instability High (MSI-H) or Mismatch Repair Deficiency (dMMR or MMR-D)
Yervoy (ipilumumab)
Melanoma
Metastatic or unresectable melanoma
For the treatment of people with metastatic melanoma
No biomarker required
Yervoy (ipilumumab)
Melanoma
Lymph node positive melanoma
Adjuvant treatment of people with cutaneous melanoma with spread to regional of more than 1 mm who have undergone complete removal of the cancer and lymph nodes
No biomarker required
Table of monoclonal antibodies and antibody-drug conjugates
Some immunotherapies are also targeted therapies, because they use antibodies to target abnormal proteins or receptors that are found in high quantities in cancer cells or the surrounding tissue. Monoclonal antibodies may be considered both and targeted therapies. Antibody Drug Conjugates (ADCs) are drugs that combine two different types of molecules. A chemotherapy drug is linked to an antibody that delivers the chemotherapy directly to the cancer cells.
The table below lists some common monoclonal antibodies and antibody-drug conjugates used in cancer treatment. Clincal trials are studying new immunotherapy agents as treatment for cancer.
Table of Monoclonal Antibody and Antibody-Drug Conjugate Treatments: This table lists commonly used monoclonal antibody agents and their indications.
Drug
Cancer Type
Stage
Use
Biomarker
Type of Agent
Avastin (bevacizumab)
Colorectal cancer
Metastatic (stage 4)
Combined with intravenous 5-fluorouracil-based chemotherapy for first- or second-line treatment
No biomarker required
Monoclonal antibody
Avastin (bevacizumab)
Colorectal cancer
Metastatic (stage 4)
In combination with chemotherapy for second-line treatment in patients who have progressed on a first-line Avastin-containing regimen
No biomarker required
Monoclonal antibody
Avastin (bevacizumab)
Ovarian, , or primary peritoneal cancer
Stage 2-4
Combined with Lynparza () for first-line, for platinum-sensitive cancer
() testing
Monoclonal antibody
Avastin (bevacizumab)
Ovarian, fallopian tube, or primary peritoneal cancer
Stage 3-4
Combined with chemotherapy, followed by Avastin as a single agent following initial surgical resection
No biomarker required
Monoclonal antibody
Avastin (bevacizumab)
Ovarian, fallopian tube, or primary peritoneal cancer
Recurrent platinum-resistant disease
Combined with chemotherapy for platinum-resistant recurrent disease who received no more than 2 prior chemotherapy regimens
No biomarker required
Monoclonal antibody
Avastin (bevacizumab)
Ovarian, fallopian tube, or primary peritoneal cancer
Recurrent platinum-sensitive disease
Combined with chemotherapy, followed by Avastin as a single agent, for platinum-sensitive recurrent diesase
No biomarker required
Monoclonal antibody
Cyramza (ramucirumab)
Colorectal cancer
Metastatic (stage 4)
Combined with FOLFIRI chemotherapy, for treatment after disease progression on, or after prior therapy with bevacizumab, oxaliplatin, and a fluoropyrimidine
No biomarker required
Monoclonal antibody
Datroway (datopotamab deruxtecan-dlnk)
Breast cancer
Metastatic (stage 4) or unresectable
Treatment for cancers that have progressed after hormone therapy and chemotherapy
Hormone receptor position (), HER2-negative
Antibody-drug conjugate
Elahere (mirvetuximab soravtansine-gynx)
Ovarian, fallopian tube, or primary peritoneal cancer
Stage 3 or 4
As second-line or later treatment of platinum-resistant or platinum-sensitive recurrent ovarian cancer
Positive for FRα (folate receptor alpha)
Antibody-drug conjugate
Enhertu (fam-trastuzumab-deruxtecan-nxki)
Breast cancer
Metastatic (stage 4)
Treatment for people who have:
received a prior anti-HER2 therapy for metastatic breast cancer, or
had their breast cancer come back during or within 6 months of completing treatment for their early-stage breast cancer
overexpression ()
Antibody-drug conjugate
Enhertu (fam-trastuzumab-deruxtecan-nxki)
Breast cancer
Metastatic (stage 4)
Treatment for people with tumors that are HER2-low who:
received chemotherapy in the metastatic setting and whose cancer no longer responds to hormonal therapy
received chemotherapy in the adjuvant setting and whose cancer came back within 6 months of completing chemotherapy
HER2-low
Antibody-drug conjugate
Enhertu (fam-trastuzumab-deruxtecan-nxki)
Solid tumors
Metastatic (stage 4) or unresectable
For adult patients with advanced solid tumors who have received prior treatment and have no alternative treatment options
HER2 overexpression (HER2-positive)
Antibody-drug conjugate
Kadcyla (trastuzumab emtansine)
Breast cancer
Metastatic (stage 4)
For treatment in people whose cancer got worse after receiving Herceptin and chemotherapy in the following settings:
for metastatic disease, or
as adjuvant therapy, and experienced disease recurrence during or within 6 months of completing adjuvant therapy
HER2 overexpression (HER2-positive)
Antibody-drug conjugate
Kadcyla (trastuzumab emtansine)
Breast cancer
Early stage (stage 2-3)
As adjuvant therapy for people who have residual invasive disease after neoadjuvant taxane and Herceptin
HER2 overexpression (HER2-positive)
Antibody-drug conjugate
Perjeta (pertuzumab)
Breast cancer
Locally advanced, inflammatory or early stage
Combined with Herceptin (trastuzumab) and docetaxel as treatment before surgery (neoadjuvant)
As a single therapy following disease progression after prior treatment with fluoropyrimidine, oxaliplatin, and irinotecan-containing chemotherapy
Negative for KRAS and NRAS mutations
Monoclonal antibody
Nonspecific immunotherapies
Non-specific immunotherapies broadly boost the immune system. Even though they do not target cancer cells specifically, they can still create a better overall immune response against cancer cells. Currently these agents are used for treating melanoma.
Table of Nonspecific Immunotherapies for Cancer Treatments: This table lists nonspecific immunotherapies and their indications.
Drug
Cancer Type
Stage
Use
Biomarker
Proleukin® (aldesleukin)
Melanoma
Metastatic
For local treatment of cutaneous, subcutaneous, and nodal lesions in patients with melanoma recurrent after initial surgery
No biomarker required
Intron A
Melanoma
Early stage
As adjuvant therapy within 56 days after surgery in adults with melanoma who are free of disease but at high risk for recurrence
No biomarker required
Sylatron
Melanoma
Early stage
As adjuvant treatment within 84 days after surgery for melanoma with spread to the lymph nodes
No biomarker required
Cancer vaccines
Cancer treatment vaccines are molecules that are introduced into the body to start an immune response against cancer cells. The table below lists some vaccines used in cancer treatment. Clincal trials are studying new vaccines as treatment for cancer.
Table of Vaccines User for Cancer Treatments: This table lists cancer vaccines and their indications.
Drug
Cancer Type
Stage
Use
Biomarker
Type of Agent
Imlygic (T-VEC or talimogene laherparepvec)
Melanoma
Unresectable recurrent melanoma
For local treatment of cutaneous, subcutaneous, and nodal lesions in patients with melanoma recurrent after initial surgery
No biomarker required
Vaccine
Provenge (sipuleucel-T)
cancer
Metastatic castration resistant prostate cancer (mCRPC)
For the treatment of asymptomatic or minimally symptomatic metastatic castrate resistant prostate cancer
