Pembrolizumab monotherapy
Checked 2026-09-09
Adjuvant melanoma stage IIB-IV (1 year); PD-L1 TPS 50% or above NSCLC; MSI-high tumours; recurrent head and neck (CPS 1 or above)
One cycle
every 21 daysComponents
| Drug | Dose | Route | Days | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Pembrolizumab Monoclonal antibody (anti-PD-1) | 200 mg every 3 weeks or 400 mg every 6 weeks | IV | D1 |
Cycles
up to 35 cycles (2 years); 17 cycles adjuvant melanoma
21-day cycle
Emetogenicity
Minimal (<10%)
G-CSF
Not routine
Used in
MelanomaNon-small-cell lung cancerHead and neck squamous cell carcinomaColorectal cancerCutaneous squamous cell carcinomaMerkel cell carcinoma
Products
Source
KEYNOTE-006, NEJM 2015; FDA label (flat dosing)
Reference doses for a typical adult from the cited protocol or label. Doses are adjusted for renal and hepatic function, age, performance status and prior toxicity, and institutional protocols vary. Verify against the current label and your local protocol before treating. Not medical advice.
Other regimens for these cancers
mFOLFOX6
Adjuvant stage III colon (6 months) or metastatic colorectal and upper GI first line
every 14 days × 12
CAPOX
Adjuvant stage III colon (3 or 6 months), rectal total neoadjuvant therapy, metastatic first line
every 21 days × 4
FOLFIRI
Metastatic colorectal first or second line (with bevacizumab, aflibercept, ramucirumab or an anti-EGFR antibody)
every 14 days
Trifluridine/tipiracil + bevacizumab
Refractory metastatic colorectal cancer after two lines
every 28 days
Trastuzumab deruxtecan 5.4 mg/kg
HER2-positive metastatic breast cancer second line; HER2-low or ultralow after chemotherapy or endocrine therapy; HER2-mutant NSCLC
every 21 days
Pembrolizumab + pemetrexed + platinum
Metastatic non-squamous NSCLC without EGFR/ALK alteration, first line, any PD-L1
every 21 days × 4
Pembrolizumab + carboplatin + paclitaxel
Metastatic squamous NSCLC, first line
every 21 days × 4
Nivolumab + ipilimumab + 2 cycles of platinum doublet
Metastatic NSCLC without EGFR/ALK alteration, first line
every 21 days