Pembrolizumab User Reviews & Ratings (Page 5)

• Miche...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• October 15, 2019

Keytruda (pembrolizumab) for Small Cell Lung Cancer "My mom died a few days after her treatment of this medicine. Her liver shut down and then her other organs. I would not recommend this until you thoroughly understand the side effects and what it does."

• BigRi...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• March 25, 2021

Keytruda (pembrolizumab) for Head and Neck Cancer "After meeting with a surgeon who is the best who advised me he could do the surgery. Yup removal of my tongue, facial nerve damage with lifetime pain, feeding tube, and not being able to speak. I decided “No Thanks” I like my Tacos and being able To tell people I love them. My oncologist suggested Keytruda and immunotherapy. It saved my life and my tongue!!"

• Anonymous
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• February 21, 2021

Keytruda (pembrolizumab) for Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer "I started with a tumor on my lung....it had spread to my lymphnodes in neck and stomach before it was found. I did 3 cycles of platinum chemo shrunk cancer 40% then continued to keytruda and last scan it had shrunk another 28%, 68% total in 3 months with both treatments. I've had zero side effects. I'm even back to work part time now."

• Micha...
• May 14, 2020

Keytruda (pembrolizumab) for Small Cell Lung Cancer "After first infusion, immediate aggravation of my arrhythmia to the point of having episodes daily unlike ever before. Developed a persistent cough which made speaking difficult. Also shortness of breath. Mentioned arrhythmia to my oncologist who was not inclined to blame Keytruda for the increased frequency, although arrhythmia is a known side effect. Three weeks later second infusion, everything worsened to the point of debilitating weakness. Researching Keytruda, I discovered It is NOT the wonder drug touted by so many. Alot of side effects, failing health and death. Prior to keytruda, I experienced myself daily as healthy although diagnosed with lung cancer and infrequent arrhythmia. Today my quality of life is so little that I have decided to discontinue treatment. A third infusion might very well kill me. It's just not worth it. While Keytruda does seem to help some, it seems to injure many more, like myself."

• Liz
• Taken for less than 1 month
• September 20, 2022

Keytruda (pembrolizumab) for Squamous Cell Carcinoma "We found out my Dad had squamous cell lung cancer stage 4 in June, he tried radiation which didn't work, doctors didn't suggest chemo but suggested immunotherapy Keytruda instead. I had really high hopes for immunotherapy after reading and seeing good things about it on abc news claiming it could be the "cure". Me and my family definitely had high hopes, and we all thought it would be safer than chemo, less side effects. August 24th 2022 Wed is when they gave keytruda to him through iv. I saw him the next day and he seemed fine in the hospital despite his other health problems and his legs being paralyzed from the tumor. Sunday I called the hospital to check on how he was doing. Nurses said he wasn't doing good... somehow his oxygen was depleting in his body and he wasn't responding to their oxygen. I rushed to the hospital Aug 28th Sun and saw my Dad for the last time, held his hand while I watched him breathe his last breath unconscious. He was starved of oxygen because of this..."

• Barba...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• May 24, 2022

Keytruda (pembrolizumab) "My husband went through 2 different sets of 7 week treatments of Radiation for Angiosarcoma and never had any side affects to speak of at all. Then a spot came up again on his head so they put him on Keytruda infusions. He had 2 treatments 6 weeks apart. He got really sick the week before his next one was scheduled so they postponed it. He slept the whole next 6 weeks, stopped eating, barely drinking, so weak he could barely walk and then stopped being able to move on his own, he was confused and most days could barely talk. The only side effect we were told he would probably might have was diarrhea which he was more constipated than anything. After 6 weeks, 7 doctors, 1 ER visit, he died at home. No one was ever able to help him even when we told everyone he was on Keytruda. I have no doubt that medicine killed my husband and now I live with the memories of watching him die and no one was able to help him. Please don’t take this drug."

• His...
• June 19, 2019

Keytruda (pembrolizumab) for Solid Tumors "My husband stage 4 sarcoma ( Lung Epithelioid Sarcoma squamous cell carcinoma ), a rare aggressive form. Appearing in lymph nodes around the lungs and adrenal gland. Large one between the heart and lung, a large mass located on his adrenal gland. Did chemo for 9 months. Tumors between heart and lung and adrenal gland shrunk to 1/3 the size it was a year ago, has not touched the others around his lung but the cancer remains stable. Keytruda is NOT without its side affects, he cannot focus to read much, moody for 2 weeks, after treatments then feels bit better and its time for another treatment. Seems like he has about 50% of the side affects listed, it also caused injury to his thyroid gland and doctor has increased levothyroxine 3 times in 2 months! Arthritis now in his hip and back. Bruising terribly, weakness fatigue, headaches, insomnia, but he perseveres and forces himself not to give in. He is still here with us."

• Dad
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• September 17, 2022

Keytruda (pembrolizumab) for Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer "NSCLC. Just plain and simple. Keytruda killed my dad. He went thru radiation and that shrunk the main tumor. We should have stopped there!!! 3 treatments of Keytruda and he took a nose dive: No eating, could barely walk, declined quickly. Hospice started. Three days later dead. My dad was 95 but very active for his age. If you have an elderly love one, let them live there life. Don't give them Keytruda!!"

• JLC
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• March 19, 2024

Keytruda (pembrolizumab) for Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer "My wife has been doing the Keytruda treatment for close to a year now with no serious side effects. It has helped greatly to where chemo can now be stopped. I have read good reviews here and some very scary ones! The problem is everyone reacts differently to all medications and if you went by all the side effects listed on medications, you wouldn't even take them. I so wish all success on this terrible illness and strength in your fight against it!"

• Dave
• Taken for less than 1 month
• January 16, 2019

Keytruda (pembrolizumab) for Solid Tumors "My wife was given this drug as an option to help with her breast cancer, a week later she passed into Heaven, we were both excited and hopeful for an immunotherapy drug like this, which did nothing to save my Beautiful Wife!"

• kmh
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• May 22, 2021

Keytruda (pembrolizumab) for Urothelial Carcinoma "My father was diagnosed August 2020 with urothelial cancer. Had left nephrectomy and uretorectomy in Sept 2020. Wasn't a candidate for traditional chemotherapy for age and other health issues. Started Keytruda February 24th. 2nd treatment was March 24. April 9th we were in the emergency room with him having large blood clots in his leg. May 5th he is worse, not walking low blood pressure and severe pain. Put in hospice and now gone on May 20th. I will regret forever talking him into trying it."

• Daddys...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• June 30, 2020

Keytruda (pembrolizumab) for Small Cell Lung Cancer "Father was not a candidate for Chemo, so his last option for treatment was Keytruda. He constantly had pneumonia. Three months after his treatment with Keytruda he was hospitalized with Pneumonia. Developed heart erythema, cough, blisters deep in his throat, hoarseness, could hardly speak. Hospital tried “magic mouthwash” “lidocaine lollipops” several antibiotics. Nothing worked. I believe it burnt his lungs up. Was scheduled for PET scan, but passed away 5 days before. I am convinced Keytruda killed him before the cancer did. Once damage is done, it can’t be undone. Please way the options before starting this expensive treatment."

• Lucky...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• June 17, 2020

Keytruda (pembrolizumab) for Melanoma, Metastatic "On Keytruda 15 months after op to remove Stage 4 melanoma near Duodenum with three other tumours identified subsequent PET scan. Later advised by my GP that I had about 6-12 months had treatment been unsuccessful. The tumours had disappeared within 12 months and last two PET scans clear and showing compete response. Staying on treatment as specialist advised cancer had 50/50 chance of returning. Only major side effect was Adrenal gland knocked out so I take a daily tablet to correct that problem. A wonder drug as far as I'm concerned."

• Emily...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• August 12, 2017

Keytruda (pembrolizumab) for Head and Neck Cancer "My good friend started Keytruda in the beginning of the year after all other treatments failed for his adrenal cancer. He looked terrible and lost over 30 pounds and he looked like he has a month or two to live. Keytruda and shrunk his two tumors dramatically and thanks to Merck my friend is still alive."

• Goodo...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• December 28, 2019

Keytruda (pembrolizumab) for Melanoma, Metastatic "Feb 2019 I have a metastatic melanoma wrapped around 2 nerves at the top of my spine. Inoperable. With the pain in my neck and shoulder blade I thought it was caused by Dr pulling me around after Open Heart Surgery in August 2018. Lucky I have a great GP who sent me to a Neurosurgeon after scans. Started on Immunotherapy in May. Have had my 11th Keytruda treatment. Side effects have been different each time. Thyroid is under control with medication now. Have been through droopy eyelids, husky voice, runny nose, aching bones, itchy skin etc., all of which have cleared up in time then come back occasionally except itchy skin. Both my PET Scans tell me I’m in remission. I just feel very lucky I am able to have this Keytruda treatment for however long it takes. Hoping it will prolong my life. Only problem I’m having is the damage it has done to a bone in my spine which is very painful and medication helps."

• Mikes...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• February 22, 2018

Keytruda (pembrolizumab) for Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer "My brother was diagnosed with stage 4 non small cell lung cancer. After 2 treatments of Keytruda his cancer had spread like wildfire and his health severely declined. He then tried chemo but after just 3 treatments he was too weak and was put in hospice. He passed away just 4 months after being diagnosed."

• Rosebud
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• June 9, 2022

Keytruda (pembrolizumab) for Renal Cell Carcinoma "Going for my third infusion in a few weeks and a cystoscopy. I get the infusion every six weeks. So far just minor complaints, weight gain, rash that comes and goes, cough, some diarrhea, muscle pain sometimes and face a little puffy. Bloodwork has been good so far. Had a TIA a month ago but oncologist said it wasn't the Keytruda. I'm going to my primary care this week to see what's going on. Not sure how to rate keytruda yet so I'll give it a 5."

• Sunfl...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• October 30, 2020

Keytruda (pembrolizumab) for Melanoma "I started keytruda Feb 2020 for stage 3 aggressive melanoma. Almost immediately my moods were awful. Swinging like a kid hitting puberty. The doc said it wasn't a side effect. This continued. The fatigue increased. I felt miserable. By late August I couldn't get off the couch without moaning in pain and couldn't even get into bed. No appetite. Nausea. No energy. I knew I was dehydrated. Declined my next treatment and got fluids. Went to next appointment to tell Doc I was quitting. Finally they did labs. My cortisol was > .1 Another lab test result had ridiculously low levels as well. I should've been in the hospital. Now I'm on steroids, was waiting to see an endocrinologist and hoping there's no permanent damage. Keytruda almost finished me off"

• johndoe
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• July 13, 2018

Keytruda (pembrolizumab) for Solid Tumors "My mother has been taking this for a few months and she has completely changed. She suffers from extreme memory loss, confusion, body rashes, and now has to get fluids weekly because she sweats constantly. She has lost an insane amount of weight, lost all her muscle, and is shaky. Her body is in constant pain. She took a break from it for a few months and during that time she felt better but her cancer came back. They say she will be taking this drug for the remainder of her life. "it'll keep her alive", but honestly, at what cost? This medicine has robbed her of her quality of life. I would never recommend this to anyone who is looking for healing. it does more harm than good."

• Anonymous
• April 7, 2021

Keytruda (pembrolizumab) for Gastric Cancer "Keytruda is what ended my fathers life. We were told nothing but wonderful things about Immunotherapy and how it would be less taxing on the body than Chemotherapy. He died less than 30 days after his first infusion. He was diagnosed with Stage 4 Stomach Cancer on October 17, 2020. He underwent Chemo treatments and they switched him to Immunotherapy/Keytruda in December. He endured a steep decline shortly after and died weeks later. Please, if you are considering Keytruda, do your due diligence and research the very probable side effects. I wish we had. We trusted his Oncologist 110% and really thought this would help him. Do not make the same mistake we did."

• Gary...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• September 6, 2023

Keytruda (pembrolizumab) for Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer "Stage four non-small cell lung cancer. April 26, 2019 - mass with biopsy of a lymph node showing adenocarcinoma of lung origin. June 2019, after having recently been started on Keytruda immunotherapy. And I am using it now."

• Anonymous
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• October 9, 2017

Keytruda (pembrolizumab) for Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer "Had all of the requirements - PD-L1, 90% effaced, did not have the tumor mutations, 1st line of defense. Bought in to the "wonder" drug hype and it FAIL MISERABLY. Cancer metastasized. Now being treated with chemo and responding but it's too late"

• Joe
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• November 14, 2020

Keytruda (pembrolizumab) for Gastric Cancer "This medicine shortened my father's lifespan. In 2019, he was diagnosed with stage 4 gastric cancer that spread to his liver. After a few rounds of regular chemo, his cancer shrunk and he was feeling much better. Then, they switched his oncologists. His new oncologist said that he already took too many rounds of chemo, so they prescribed him to go on Keytruda. Few months into his treatment, he started feeling a lot weaker. After they did a CT scan, it revealed that his cancer has been spreading for a few months and started to spread around the same time he went on Keytruda. They still put him on another round of Keytruda. After that round of Keytruda, his skin started to get yellow and he started to feel weaker. After being admitted to ER, they said they could not do anything. The cancer has overtaken his liver. He died a few weeks later. Keytruda has not worked for him and might have contributed to his death by destroying his organs."

• Eve
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• March 18, 2022

Keytruda (pembrolizumab) for Endometrial Cancer "I took Keytruda for endometrial cancer. After the second dose, I was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes. This a somewhat rare, but well known side effect of Keytruda. There are several documented cases of this drug causing type 1 diabetes. I know this drug can save or extend lives, just realize it can also change your life forever, in a not so positive way. Good luck!"

• Color...
• October 24, 2021

Keytruda (pembrolizumab) for Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer "I took keytruda successfully for 2 years. My oncologist wanted me to keep taking it since I was doing so well, even though the drug shouldn’t be taken for more than 2 years. At almost exactly the 2 year mark, my body filled with fluid. I gain 30 pounds almost instantly and my skin was itchy and painful. After a sort of brush off from my oncologist that Keytruda was the reason, I saw many doctors until I got to a rheumatologist that figured it all out foe me. I now have Cutaneous scleroderma caused by the keytruda and it is so painful. Now all efforts are to treat the scleroderma and not the cancer."