Have You Been Diagnosed with Cancer? Immunotherapy Treatment Options

Immunotherapies Used to Treat Cancer

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

Monoclonal antibodies

Nonspecific immunotherapies

Cancer vaccines

Table of immune checkpoint inhibitors

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	Mismatch Repair Deficiency (dMMR or MMR-D)
Jemperli (dostarlimab)	Rectal cancer	Stage 2 or 3 rectal cancer	Before surgery (neoadjuvant) to shrink tumor. The use of this drug in early-stage colorectal cancer is not FDA approved yet. It is included in the NCCN expert guidelines as an off-label treatment option based on very promising research results	Microsatellite Instability High (MSI-H) or Mismatch Repair Deficiency (dMMR or MMR-D)
Jemperli (dostarlimab)	Colorectal cancer	Metastatic 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 (ER/PR-negative, HER2-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 first-line 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 solid tumors	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 adjuvant 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 lymph nodes 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, fallopian tube, or primary peritoneal cancer	Stage 2-4	Combined with Lynparza (olaparib) for first-line, maintenance therapy for platinum-sensitive cancer	Homologous Recombination Deficiency (HRD) 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 (HR-positive), 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	HER2 overexpression (HER2-positive)	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)	HER2 overexpression (HER2-positive)	Monoclonal antibody
Phesgo (pertuzumab, trastuzumab combined injection)	Breast cancer	Early stage	Before surgery (neoadjuvant) treatment for tumors larger than 2 cm or node-positive, or After surgery (adjuvant) treatment for early breast cancer that has a high likelihood of coming back	HER2 overexpression (HER2-positive)	Monoclonal antibody
Trodelvy (sacituzumab govitecan-hziy)	Breast cancer	Metastatic (stage 4)	For metastatic breast cancer that progressed, recurred or did not respond to at least two previous lines of treatment	Triple-negative (ER/PR-negative, HER2-negative)	Antibody-drug conjugate
Trodelvy (sacituzumab govitecan-hziy)	Breast cancer	Metastatic (stage 4)	For metastatic breast cancer breast after endocrine-based therapy and at least 2 additional systemic therapies in the metastatic setting	Hormone receptor-positive (HR-positive), HER2-negative	Antibody-drug conjugate
Trodelvy (sacituzumab govitecan-hziy)	Breast cancer	Metastatic (stage 4)	For metastatic breast cancer breast after endocrine-based therapy and at least 2 additional systemic therapies in the metastatic setting	Hormone receptor-positive (HR-positive), HER2-negative	Antibody-drug conjugate
Vectibix (panitumumab)	Colorectal cancer	Metastatic (stage 4)	Combined with FOLFOX for first-line treatment	Negative for KRAS and NRAS mutations	Monoclonal antibody
Vectibix (panitumumab)	Colorectal cancer	Metastatic (stage 4)	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.

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.

Immunotherapy Indications for Treating Cancer

Immunotherapies Used to Treat Cancer

Table of immune checkpoint inhibitors

Table of monoclonal antibodies and antibody-drug conjugates

Nonspecific immunotherapies

Cancer vaccines

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