Keytruda 100 mg Injection 4 ml is an anti-cancer medicine used in the treatment of various types of cancers in both adult and paediatric populations. Cancer is a disease caused due to the abnormal growth of cells that divide uncontrollably. This medicine is used in treating advanced renal cell carcinoma, hepatocellular carcinoma, colorectal cancer, non-small cell lung cancer, metastatic melanoma, small cell lung cancer, gastric cancer, classical Hodgkin’s disease, urothelial carcinoma, cervical cancer, primary mediastinal large B-cell lymphoma, endometrial cancer, microsatellite instability-high cancer, and head and neck cancer.

Keytruda 100 mg Injection 4 ml contains Pembrolizumab, which belongs to the class of monoclonal antibodies. It works by inhibiting the action of a programmed death receptor-1 (PD-1) and thereby stops the abnormal growth of cancer cells.

Keytruda 100 mg Injection 4 ml may cause certain side effects such as diarrhoea, nausea, vomiting, tiredness, itching, rash, headache, fever, cough, shortness of breath, muscle/joint pain, loss of appetite and injection site reactions. Inform your doctor if any of these side effects persist for a longer duration. Keytruda 100 mg Injection 4 ml will be administered by an oncologist. Avoid self-administration.

Avoid taking Keytruda 100 mg Injection 4 ml if you are allergic to it or any other components of it. Before taking Keytruda 100 mg Injection 4 ml, inform your doctor if you have/had liver or kidney disease, autoimmune disorders such as ulcerative colitis, Crohn’s disease, any history of organ transplants, received a stem cell transplant that uses donor stem cells (allogeneic), undergone radiation treatment to the chest or any other medical conditions. This medicine is known to cause embryo-fetal toxicity. Hence, it is not recommended for use in pregnancy and breastfeeding.

Keytruda 100 mg Injection 4 ml contains Pembrolizumab, which is used in the treatment different types of cancers. It works by inhibiting the action of a programmed death receptor-1 (PD-1) that causes the multiplication of cancerous cells. This helps stop the abnormal growth of cancer cells and thus reduce the further spread to other parts of the body.

• Nausea
• Vomiting
• Diarrhoea
• Loss of appetite
• Tiredness
• Dizziness
• Weakness
• Pain in muscles/joints/bones
• Cough
• Headache
• Fever
• Itching
• Rash
• Back pain
• Shortness of breath
• Injection site reactions

To treat your condition effectually, continue taking Keytruda 100 mg Injection 4 ml for the period that your doctor has prescribed. Keytruda 100 mg Injection 4 ml may cause severe immune-mediated adverse reactions (IMAR) such as immune-mediated colitis, hepatitis (hepatotoxicity), nephritis, endocrinopathies (such as adrenal insufficiency, diabetes, thyroid disorders), pneumonitis, and dermatologic reactions (such as Stevens-Johnson syndrome, epidermal necrolysis). It may also cause infusion-related reactions in some patients. Therefore, caution should be exercised if you have/had liver or kidney disease, any history of organ transplant, received a stem cell transplant that uses donor stem cells (allogeneic), undergone radiation treatment to the chest and autoimmune disorders such as ulcerative colitis, or Crohn’s disease while receiving Keytruda 100 mg Injection 4 ml. Discontinue the treatment if any severe infusion reactions occur. Inform your doctor if you are pregnant or are planning to become pregnant before starting the treatment, as this medicine is known to cause embryo-fetal toxicity. Breastfeeding should be discontinued in nursing mothers during the treatment as it passes into breast milk and may cause a possible risk to the infant. This medicine is not recommended for use in children below 2 years of age as the safety and efficacy are not established.

Drug-Drug Interactions: Keytruda 100 mg Injection 4 ml may have interaction with immunomodulator drugs (thalidomide), corticosteroids (prednisolone, methylprednisolone, prednisone), etc.

Drug-Food Interactions: Avoid alcohol consumption and smoking.

Dug-Disease Interactions: Tell your doctor if you have liver or kidney disease, heart problems, GI disorders, eye problems, dermatitis, or weak immune system before starting the treatment.

• THALIDOMIDE
• PREDNISOLONE
• METHYLPREDNISOLONE
• PREDNISONE

• Physical activity helps strengthen muscles, reduces fatigue, helps in weight loss, and gives strength. Gentle activities like 20-30 minutes of walking or swimming would be helpful.
• Maintain a healthy weight by performing regular low-strain exercises and eating healthy food.
• Getting adequate sleep as resting helps improve your health and mental ability and improves attention.
• De-stress yourself by meditating, reading books, taking a warm bubble bath, or listening to soothing music.
• Eat food rich in antioxidants such as berries, spinach, etc.
• Foods containing fibre help in better digestion. These include beans, peas, lentils, whole grains, nuts, and seeds.
• Avoid smoking and alcohol consumption.
• Maintain a healthy weight.

• Your doctor may suggest periodic liver function tests, kidney function tests, lung function tests to monitor the function of the liver, kidney and lungs due to the use of Keytruda 100 mg Injection 4 ml.
• It is advised to use contraceptive pills while using Keytruda 100 mg Injection 4 ml to prevent pregnancy.
• Monitoring of thyroid function and adrenocorticotropic hormone levels will be done during the treatment to avoid any life-threatening side effects.

Renal Cell Carcinoma: It is the most common type of cancer in which the cancer/ malignant cells grow uncontrollably in the kidney and form a tumour. Symptoms include red, orange, or pink-coloured urine due to the presence of blood in the urine. Keytruda 100 mg Injection 4 ml is used in combination with axitinib for the treatment of advanced renal cell carcinoma.

Hepatocellular carcinoma: It occurs when the cancer/ malignant cells grow out of control. This infects the liver, destroys the liver cells and affects the ability of the liver to work properly. Symptoms may include abdominal pain, loss of appetite, weight loss, and pale bowel motions. Keytruda 100 mg Injection 4 ml is used in treating liver cancer who are previously treated with sorafenib.

Metastatic Malignant Melanoma: Melanoma is a type of skin cancer in which the cancer cells grow in melanocytes. It is mainly caused by harmful UV radiation from the sun. Malignant melanoma is common in fair-skinned and freckled individuals. It results in mole formation, typically on the skin of the face.

Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer (NSCLC): It is the most common form of lung cancer which occurs when cells that form the lining of the lung start growing uncontrollably. It is mostly seen in persons who smoke. Symptoms may include chest pain, weight loss, hoarseness, and difficulty breathing. Keytruda 100 mg Injection 4 ml is used in combination with pemetrexed and platinum chemotherapy, as first-line treatment or in combination with carboplatin and either paclitaxel or paclitaxel protein-bound, as first-line treatment of patients with metastatic squamous NSCLC.

Head and neck cancer: It is a type of cancer which causes abnormal growth of cancer cells in the tissues of the neck and head. This cancer generally starts in the cells known as squamous cells which appear in the lining of the surface of moist mucosa in the head and neck (e.g., inside of the throat, nose, and mouth).

Bladder cancer: It is a cancer that begins in the bladder. It typically affects older adults. The most common symptom is blood in the urine.

Stomach Cancer (Gastric adenocarcinoma): It is a type of cancer that develops from the stomach lining. This condition can occur mainly due to smoking, a highly processed or salty diet, and severe bacterial infection of H. pylori. Symptoms of stomach cancer include feeling bloated after eating, feeling full after eating small amounts of food, nausea, heartburn or indigestion.

Hodgkin’s Disease: Hodgkin’s disease or lymphoma is a blood cancer of a certain type of cells called WBCs, specifically lymphocytes. Lymphocytes normally help control infection and maintain the body's normal immunity. However, in a cancerous state, there is an abnormal multiplication of these blood cells, causing many problems such as fatigue, fever, loss of appetite, itching, night sweats and lymph node swelling.

Endometrial cancer: It is a cancer which affects the endometrium (lining of the womb or uterus). Symptoms may include bleeding between periods, pelvic pain, and pain during sexual intercourse. This cancer is mostly occurred due to certain factors such as increasing age, obesity, never been pregnant, family history of cancer, and diabetes. It is usually seen in women above the age of 55 years. This condition is not life-threatening when it is diagnosed and treated in the early stages.