What is immuno-oncology?

Watch this short video for an overview of what exactly immuno-oncology (or cancer immunotherapy) is.

Immuno-oncology, also known as cancer immunotherapy, uses therapies that are designed to help the natural immune system to fight disease.

How does immuno-oncology work?

The immune system is the body’s natural defence against disease. It sends T cells (a type of white blood cell) throughout the body to detect and fight diseases, including cancers like melanoma, non-small cell lung cancer and Hodgkin Lymphoma.

Cancer cells can hide from T cells

One way the immune system controls the activity of T cells is through the PD-1 pathway. PD-1 is a protein in the body that works alongside T cells. However, some cancer cells can hide from T cells and take control of the PD-1 pathway by producing their own protein called PD-L1. This prevents the T cells from attacking cancer cells.

KEYTRUDA helps the T cells to find and destroy cancer

KEYTRUDA is a type of immunotherapy that works by blocking the PD-1 pathway. KEYTRUDA helps the immune system do what it was meant to do: detect and fight cancer cells.

Is KEYTRUDA right for you?

KEYTRUDA is registered in New Zealand for the treatment of advanced melanoma, non-small cell lung cancer, Hodgkin Lymphoma and advanced urothelial cancer.

About KEYTRUDA

To find out if KEYTRUDA is right for you, your oncologist may need to order biomarker tests to determine if your tumour expresses PD-L1.