Pembrolizumab (Keytruda) for non‐small cell lung cancer - first line, previously untreated

Pembrolizumab is a type of immunotherapy. It stimulates the body's immune system to fight cancercells. Pembrolizumab targets and blocks a protein called PD‐L1 on the surface of certain immune cellscalled T‐cells. Blocking the PD‐L1 protein triggers the T‐cells to find and kill cancer cells. It isadministered as a drip into a vein for 30 minutes every three weeks for up to 35 cycles.Clinical trials suggest that when treated with pembrolizumab as opposed to platinum‐basedchemotherapies, those advanced NSCLC patients who have not yet received treatment (treatmentnaive) may survive for longer and achieve a better quality of life.