Comparing Cetuximab vs Pembrolizumab

View side-by-side comparisons of medication uses, ratings, cost, side effects and interactions.
Cetuximab	Pembrolizumab	Enter another drug to compare

View side-by-side comparisons of medication uses, ratings, cost, side effects and interactions.
Cetuximab	Pembrolizumab	Enter another drug to compare
Prescription only Prescribed for Squamous Cell Carcinoma, Head and Neck Cancer, Colorectal Cancer, Non Small Cell Lung Cancer, Pancreatic Cancer. Cetuximab may also be used for purposes not listed in this medication guide. View more	Prescription only Prescribed for Bladder Cancer, Cervical Cancer, Breast Cancer, Biliary Tract Tumor, Colorectal Cancer, Endometrial Cancer, Esophageal Carcinoma, Gastric Cancer, Head and Neck Cancer, Hepatocellular... View more	Related suggestions Non Small Cell Lung Cancer Tagrisso Keytruda Opdivo Alimta Avastin Nivolumab Colorectal Cancer Oxaliplatin Xeloda Capecitabine Fluorouracil Avastin Leucovorin Head and Neck Cancer Erbitux Keytruda Nivolumab Taxotere Opdivo Docetaxel Squamous Cell Carcinoma Keytruda Cemiplimab Erbitux Libtayo Bleomycin Cosibelimab
More about Cetuximab	More about Pembrolizumab
Ratings & Reviews
Cetuximab has an average rating of 7.1 out of 10 from a total of 10 ratings on Drugs.com. 50% of reviewers reported a positive effect, while 10% reported a negative effect.	Pembrolizumab has an average rating of 5.2 out of 10 from a total of 285 ratings on Drugs.com. 44% of reviewers reported a positive effect, while 44% reported a negative effect.
View all 10 reviews	View all 285 reviews
Side Effects Experienced by Users Side effects are reported in Drugs.com user reviews and not clinically verified.
View all Cetuximab side effects	Fatigue (12.3%) Weakness (7.4%) Tiredness (6.7%) Shortness of breath (6.3%) Loss of appetite (6.0%) Itching (4.9%) Diarrhea (4.6%) View all Pembrolizumab side effects
Drug Class
EGFR inhibitors	Anti-PD-1 and PD-L1 monoclonal antibodies (immune checkpoint inhibitors)
Generic Availability
N/A	N/A
Pricing and Coupons * Prices are without insurance
We could not find an exact match for this medicine. Try searching the Price Guide directly.	We could not find an exact match for this medicine. Try searching the Price Guide directly.
Get free Discount Card	Get free Discount Card

Dosage Forms
N/A	N/A
Brand Names
Erbitux	Keytruda
Half Life Drug half-life is the time required for plasma concentration to reduce to half its original value.
213 hours	624 hours
CSA Schedule ¹ View glossary of CSA terms
N Not a controlled drug Is not subject to the Controlled Substances Act.	N Not a controlled drug Is not subject to the Controlled Substances Act.
Pregnancy Category
C Category C Risk cannot be ruled out See the full pregnancy warnings document.	D Category D Positive evidence of risk See the full pregnancy warnings document.
Drug Interactions
A total of 23 drugs are known to interact with Cetuximab: 2 major drug interactions (4 brand and generic names) 21 moderate drug interactions (61 brand and generic names)	A total of 594 drugs are known to interact with Pembrolizumab: 3 major drug interactions (6 brand and generic names) 591 moderate drug interactions (2080 brand and generic names)
Alcohol/Food/Lifestyle Interactions
No known alcohol/food interactions. This does not necessarily mean no interactions exist. Always consult your healthcare provider.	No known alcohol/food interactions. This does not necessarily mean no interactions exist. Always consult your healthcare provider.
Disease Interactions
CV/electrolyte imbalance Dermatologic toxicities Ocular disorders Pulmonary toxicity QT prolongation Renal dysfunction	Immune system disorder HSCT Myasthenia gravis Organ transplant Colitis Hepatic impairment Multiple myeloma Pneumonitis Thyroid disease
First Approval Date
N/A	N/A
WADA Class View classifications
N/A	N/A
More Information
Side effects Drug interactions Dosage Pregnancy warnings Breastfeeding warnings Support group En español	Side effects Drug interactions Dosage Pregnancy warnings Breastfeeding warnings Support group En español
Patient Resources
Cetuximab uses Advanced reading	Pembrolizumab uses
Professional Resources
Monograph (AHFS) Prescribing information	Monograph (AHFS) Prescribing information
Related Treatment Guide
Squamous Cell Carcinoma Head and Neck Cancer Colorectal Cancer Non Small Cell Lung Cancer Pancreatic Cancer	Bladder Cancer Cervical Cancer Breast Cancer Biliary Tract Tumor Colorectal Cancer Endometrial Cancer Esophageal Carcinoma Gastric Cancer Head and Neck Cancer Hepatocellular Carcinoma Hodgkin's Lymphoma Malignant Pleural Mesothelioma Melanoma Melanoma - Metastatic Merkel Cell Carcinoma Non Small Cell Lung Cancer Ovarian Cancer Primary Mediastinal Large B-cell Lymphoma Renal Cell Carcinoma Solid Tumors Squamous Cell Carcinoma Urothelial Carcinoma show all

¹ The Controlled Substances Act (CSA) schedule information displayed applies to substances regulated under federal law. There may be variations in CSA schedules between individual states.

Further information

Always consult your healthcare provider to ensure the information displayed on this page applies to your personal circumstances.

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Comparing Cetuximab vs Pembrolizumab

See also:

Keytruda

Opdivo

Opdivo Qvantig

Libtayo

Erbitux

Blenoxane

Unloxcyt

Cemiplimab

Bleomycin

Pembrolizumab

Further information

Comparing Cetuximab vs Pembrolizumab

See also:

Further information

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