Pembrolizumab: 145 Real Stories

145 stories match pembrolizumab. 140 of them mention immunotherapy.

Cancer Stories

A patient, who was diagnosed with Stage IV Lung AdenocarcinomaLung Cancer

Rare lung cancer first discovered as a mass in the skull

Patient Info: Anonymized, Male | Stage IV

Biomarkers: KRAS ; CK7-positive; CDX2-positive; pathology favoured pulmonary enteric adenocarcinoma

Metastatic Site: skull base / sphenoid sinus; right posterior acetabulum

He received palliative radiation and prolonged systemic therapy, completing 35 cycles including 31 maintenance cycles of pemetrexed and pembrolizumab.

PubMed Central
OutcomeNot reported
A patient, who was diagnosed with Colorectal AdenocarcinomaColorectal Cancer

Colorectal cancer: using a blood test (ctDNA) to guide immunotherapy after surgery — Case 1

Patient Info: Anonymized, Male, 50s

Biomarkers: KRAS ; TMB 11 mutations/Mb; loss of MLH1 and PMS2; dMMR/MSI-H; germline multigene panel negative; ctDNA positive after surgery and chemotherapy

Pembrolizumab cleared ctDNA within about 3 months. After completing 1 year of immunotherapy, surveillance CT showed no evidence of disease and ctDNA remained negative.

PubMed Central
OutcomeCancer-Free / NED
A patient, who was diagnosed with Colorectal AdenocarcinomaColorectal Cancer

Colorectal cancer: using a blood test (ctDNA) to guide immunotherapy after surgery

Patient Info: Anonymized, Male, 40s

Biomarkers: dMMR/MSI-H; pathogenic germline MLH1 c.1459C>T consistent with Lynch syndrome; postoperative ctDNA rose during chemotherapy and became near-undetectable on pembrolizumab

He continued pembrolizumab with no evidence of disease on interval CT and near-undetectable ctDNA. Grade 1 thyroiditis was monitored without treatment interruption.

PubMed Central
OutcomeIn Treatment
A patient, who was diagnosed with Stage IV Invasive Lobular CarcinomaBreast Cancer

Treatment-Refractory Triple-Negative Breast Cancer Treated With Tumor-Infiltrating Lymphocytes

Patient Info: Anonymized, female, Under 40 | Stage IV

Biomarkers: Germline BRCA1 pathogenic variant; later triple-negative phenotype

Metastatic Site: skin, lungs, bones

Tumor burden briefly decreased after tumor-infiltrating lymphocyte therapy, but she developed severe treatment complications followed by rapid cancer relapse and died about 1 month after the TIL/IL-2 treatment began.

PubMed Central
OutcomeIn Memory
Dania, who was diagnosed with Stage IV Colorectal CancerColorectal Cancer

Stage IV Colorectal Cancer: Dania's Patient Story

Patient Info: Dania, Female, Under 40 | Stage IV

Biomarkers: Not reported; pathology supported Keytruda eligibility

Metastatic Site: Liver; peritoneum

As of December 2023, Dania had Stage IV colon cancer but described an excellent response to Keytruda, successful colon/hernia surgery, and successful liver surgery while still healing and continuing follow-up.

The Patient Story
OutcomeResponding Well
A patient, who was diagnosed with Stage IV Non-Small Cell Lung CancerLung Cancer

Brain radiation therapy complication (radionecrosis) potentially linked to combined chemo-immunotherapy

Patient Info: Anonymized, Female | Stage IV

Biomarkers: PD-L1 0%; tumour mutational burden 33 mutations/Mb; TP53 mutation at diagnosis; later ctDNA included KEAP1 and NOTCH3 alterations

Metastatic Site: brain; presumed leptomeningeal disease

She recovered completely from surgery for radiation necrosis, resumed cancer treatment and remained neurologically intact at 18 months. She was found deceased 9 months later; the cause of death was unknown.

PubMed Central
OutcomeIn Memory
A patient, who was diagnosed with Lung AdenocarcinomaLung Cancer

Severe colitis from pembrolizumab immunotherapy requiring additional treatment

Patient Info: Anonymized, Male

Infliximab stopped the bleeding and reduced bowel movements from 11–12 to about 3–4 per day within 1 week, allowing discharge. Continued follow-up was needed for the colitis, hepatitis B reactivation risk and lung cancer.

PubMed Central
OutcomeCare Ongoing
A patient, who was diagnosed with Stage IV Lung AdenocarcinomaLung Cancer

BRCA2-Mutated Metastatic Lung Adenocarcinoma Controlled for 30 Months With Olaparib

Patient Info: Anonymized, female, 60s | Stage IV

Biomarkers: PD-L1-negative; BRCA2 mutation; ATM mutation; EGFR-negative; ALK-negative

Metastatic Site: brain

Olaparib provided about 30 months of disease control, and PET imaging remained overall stable when a separate new breast primary was found in February 2023.

PubMed Central
OutcomeStable Disease
A patient, who was diagnosed with Stage IV Lung AdenocarcinomaLung Cancer

MET-mutated lung cancer: testing savolitinib before surgery

Patient Info: Anonymized, Male, 60s | Stage IV

Biomarkers: MET exon 14 skipping, TP53 and BRAF mutations; PD-L1 expression 5%

Metastatic Site: pleura; mediastinal lymph node

Savolitinib produced a partial radiological response, but surgery confirmed persistent pleural and mediastinal nodal metastases with ypStage IVA disease. He recovered and continued adjuvant savolitinib.

PubMed Central
OutcomeIn Treatment
A patient, who was diagnosed with Stage IV Non-Small Cell Lung CancerLung Cancer

HER2-positive metastatic lung cancer treated with trastuzumab deruxtecan (Enhertu)

Patient Info: Anonymized, Female | Stage IV

Biomarkers: ERBB2/HER2 copy-number gain of at least 20 copies; TP53 C242fs; CDK12 copy-number gain; tumour mutational burden 3.2 mutations/Mb

Metastatic Site: lungs / multiple pulmonary nodules

Trastuzumab deruxtecan reduced the pulmonary nodules by more than 50% at 3 months and produced a documented response lasting 13.8 months.

PubMed Central
OutcomeResponding Well
JJ, who was diagnosed with Stage IV Colorectal CancerColorectal Cancer

Stage IV Colorectal Cancer: JJ's Patient Story

Patient Info: JJ, Male, Under 40 | Stage IV

Biomarkers: Microsatellite-mutated disease mentioned in clinical-trial context; exact MSI/MMR result not otherwise specified

Metastatic Site: Abdominal wall; lymph nodes; stomach/intestinal outlet…

As of January 2023, JJ was living with incurable Stage IV colon cancer on pembrolizumab/Keytruda clinical-trial infusions every 3 weeks; the trial had kept the abdominal tumor mass from spreading and had helped him live beyond the prognosis he feared, but it was not described as curative.

The Patient Story
OutcomeResponding Well
A patient, who was diagnosed with Stage IV Non-Small Cell Lung CancerLung Cancer

Stage IV Lung Cancer Reached Remission After Severe Nerve Damage and Neck Surgery

Patient Info: Anonymized, Female | Stage IV

Metastatic Site: left cervical lymph nodes

Considered in complete remission after cervical lymph-node surgery, with no clinical or radiological progression 24 months after systemic treatment; alive and back at work 3 years after diagnosis.

PubMed Central
OutcomeCancer-Free / NED
Amy, who was diagnosed with Stage IV Lung Squamous Cell CarcinomaLung Cancer

Living with Stage 4 Lung Cancer (Plus Radiation & My Follow Up!) | Amy’s Story (3 of 3)

Patient Info: Amy, Female | Stage IV

Biomarkers: MET amplification

Metastatic Site: Bone/femur and hips; adrenal gland

As of July 2022, Amy was 3.5 years after Stage IV squamous cell lung cancer diagnosis, not NED but stable for about 3 years on Crizotinib with ongoing imaging and local treatment to lung/adrenal sites.

The Patient Story
OutcomeLiving With Cancer
Amy, who was diagnosed with Stage IV Lung Squamous Cell CarcinomaLung Cancer

Stage IV MET Lung Squamous Cell Carcinoma: Amy's Patient Story

Patient Info: Amy, Female | Stage IV

Biomarkers: MET amplification

Metastatic Site: Bone/femur; lymph nodes; shoulder; adrenal glands;…

As of July 2022, Amy had a rapid and strong response to Crizotinib after MET amplification was found, with pain and lumps improving within about 2 weeks after Keytruda had failed.

The Patient Story
OutcomeResponding Well
Amy, who was diagnosed with Stage IV Non-Small Cell Lung CancerLung Cancer

Stage IV MET Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer: Amy's Patient Story

Patient Info: Amy, Female | Stage IV

Biomarkers: MET amplification identified later in the series; not known at initial treatment decision

As of July 2022, this first Amy segment covered diagnosis, second opinion, and the initial Keytruda-versus-clinical-trial decision before MET amplification was known; later response is addressed in the following series segments.

The Patient Story
OutcomeCare Ongoing
Abby, who was diagnosed with Stage IV Non-Small Cell Lung CancerLung Cancer

Stage IV Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer: Abby's Survivor Story

Patient Info: Abby Kanarek, Female, 60s | Stage IV

Biomarkers: PD-L1 90%

Metastatic Site: Brain

As of November 2021, Abby was in remission 2 years after only 4 Keytruda infusions, with the lung cancer eliminated and ongoing surveillance by a multidisciplinary City of Hope team.

City of Hope
OutcomeCancer-Free / NED
A patient, who was diagnosed with Ovarian CancerOvarian Cancer

MSI-High Malignant Struma Ovarii With Lung and Liver Metastases 17 Years Later

Patient Info: Anonymized, Female, 50s | Stage Metastatic/Advanced

Biomarkers: NRAS, and ATM mutations; Ki-67 approximately 15%–29%

Metastatic Site: lungs|liver

She remained asymptomatic and tolerated pembrolizumab without obvious adverse effects after 4 doses, with follow-up imaging planned for metastatic lung and liver disease.

PubMed Central
OutcomeCare Ongoing