FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS ABOUT KEYTRUDA and KEYTRUDA QLEX

About KEYTRUDA
KEYTRUDA is not chemotherapy or radiation therapy—it is an immunotherapy and it works with your immune system to help fight cancer. Immunotherapies such as KEYTRUDA may stop cancer cells from hiding. KEYTRUDA may enable T cells to find and attack cancer cells. This helps your immune system do what it’s designed to do: detect and fight cancer.
KEYTRUDA can cause your immune system to attack normal organs and tissues in any area of your body and can affect the way they work. These problems can sometimes become severe or life-threatening and can lead to death. You can have more than one of these problems at the same time. These problems may happen anytime during treatment or even after your treatment has ended.
KEYTRUDA is an immunotherapy medicine that may treat certain cancers by working with your immune system. Immunotherapy is a type of cancer treatment that uses your own immune system to help detect and fight cancer. Instead of attacking cancer cells directly, immunotherapy treatments help your body fight cancer.
KEYTRUDA can cause your immune system to attack normal organs and tissues in any area of your body and can affect the way they work. These problems can sometimes become severe or life-threatening and can lead to death. You can have more than one of these problems at the same time. These problems may happen anytime during treatment or even after your treatment has ended.
Your doctor will give you KEYTRUDA into your vein through an intravenous (IV) line. Treatments are given over 30 minutes. Treatments usually take place at your doctor’s office or an infusion clinic.
In adults with certain cancers, KEYTRUDA is usually given every 3 weeks or every 6 weeks depending on the dose that you are receiving. In children, KEYTRUDA is usually given every 3 weeks.
Talk to your doctor about the treatment schedule that is right for you. Your doctor can help answer questions.
Understanding side effects with KEYTRUDA
Throughout treatment, side effects may happen. That’s why you should know about the possible side effects and talk to your doctor immediately about what you can do to help manage them.
Side effects can happen at any time during your treatment.
Knowing what the side effects are can help you or your care partner more easily recognize them if you start to feel any of the symptoms.
When should I speak up about side effects?
If you have any changes in the way you feel, it’s important to discuss those changes with your health care team.
- Tell your doctor if you have any side effect that bothers you or that does not go away.
- Make sure to upload your symptom tracker to your doctor’s patient portal, so you and your doctor can keep an eye on any side effects you may experience and how often they occur.
- Getting medical treatment right away may help keep these problems from becoming more serious.
Write down all physical and emotional changes
Even before you get your first infusion, write down how you feel physically and emotionally. This will help you recognize if you start to feel anything out of the ordinary. Keep these things in mind:
- Consider downloading an app to your phone by searching key phrases like “side effects tracker” or download and print the Symptom Tracker (PDF) to make tracking easy
- Talk to your doctor about what you can expect from treatment
- Write down how you are feeling early and often (before, during, after, and even in between infusions)
About KEYTRUDA QLEX
KEYTRUDA QLEX is an FDA-approved immunotherapy. KEYTRUDA QLEX contains KEYTRUDA and berahyaluronidase alfa. Berahyaluronidase alfa allows pembrolizumab to be absorbed into your body more easily when given as a subcutaneous injection.
KEYTRUDA QLEX is a subcutaneous injection given just under the skin by your healthcare provider in 1 minute* every 3 weeks or 2 minutes* every 6 weeks in the stomach area or thigh. Your dosing schedule depends on the treatment plan your doctor prescribes.
*Injection time only. Not total appointment time.
Learn more about KEYTRUDA QLEX:
Yes, KEYTRUDA QLEX is a subcutaneous injection given just under the skin by your healthcare provider in 1 minute* every 3 weeks or 2 minutes* every 6 weeks in the stomach area or thigh. Your dosing schedule depends on the treatment plan your doctor prescribes.
*Injection time only. Not total appointment time.
In this type of injection, a short needle is used to inject the medication just under the skin, into the fatty tissue layer between the skin and the muscle in the stomach area or thigh.
KEYTRUDA QLEX is a subcutaneous injection given just under the skin by your healthcare provider in 1 minute* every 3 weeks or 2 minutes* every 6 weeks in the stomach area or thigh. Your dosing schedule depends on the treatment plan your doctor prescribes.
*Injection time only. Not total appointment time.
KEYTRUDA QLEX is given as an injection under the skin, not into a vein. That is why port surgery is not required. It’s important to note that you may still need a port if your treatment plan involves another treatment, such as chemotherapy.
You and your healthcare provider can choose either your stomach area or thigh for the injection.
Your doctor can help you decide if switching from KEYTRUDA to KEYTRUDA QLEX is right for you at any time during your treatment.
You may need to contact your insurance company for information about your coverage.
Understanding side effects with KEYTRUDA QLEX
Throughout treatment, side effects may happen. That’s why you should know about the possible side effects and talk to your doctor immediately about what you can do to help manage them.
Side effects can happen at any time during your treatment.
Knowing what the side effects are can help you or your care partner more easily recognize them if you start to feel any of the symptoms.
When should I speak up about side effects?
If you have any changes in the way you feel, it’s important to discuss those changes with your health care team.
- Tell your doctor if you have any side effect that bothers you or that does not go away.
- Make sure to upload your symptom tracker to your doctor’s patient portal, so you and your doctor can keep an eye on any side effects you may experience and how often they occur.
- Getting medical treatment right away may help keep these problems from becoming more serious.
Write down all physical and emotional changes
Even before you get your first injection, write down how you feel physically and emotionally. This will help you recognize if you start to feel anything out of the ordinary. Keep these things in mind:
- Consider downloading an app to your phone by searching key phrases like “side effects tracker” or download and print the Symptom Tracker (PDF) to make tracking easy
- Talk to your doctor about what you can expect from treatment
- Write down how you are feeling early and often (before, during, after, and even in between injections)
Support for KEYTRUDA and KEYTRUDA QLEX
Whether you’ve just been diagnosed or are beginning treatment with KEYTRUDA or KEYTRUDA QLEX, it can be reassuring to know what to expect. Find the support you and your care partner may need:
Questions or concerns about KEYTRUDA and KEYTRUDA QLEX, your cancer, or any cancer treatments you are taking should be directed to your healthcare team.
If you have questions about KEYTRUDA or KEYTRUDA QLEX, please call 85-KEYTRUDA (855-398-7832).
You can learn more about out-of-pocket costs and potential financial assistance options here:
Need more information about whether your insurance provider covers KEYTRUDA or KEYTRUDA QLEX or about potential financial assistance options?
If you need further information or help paying for KEYTRUDA or KEYTRUDA QLEX (with or without insurance coverage), Merck may be able to help. Contact The Merck Access Program at 855-257-3932. The Merck Access Program can help answer questions like:
- Does my insurance cover KEYTRUDA or KEYTRUDA QLEX?
- What are the co-pay assistance options for eligible patients?
- How can I find out if I’m eligible for the Merck Patient Assistance Program?
Visit The Merck Access Program website for more information and to enroll.
The Merck Access ProgramTo speak to a Merck Access Program representative:
Please visit Support Near Me, a third-party website where people living with cancer can find local resources. These resources may help with the daily challenges of living with cancer, such as housing, food, transportation, and more.
Access to Support Near Me is licensed by Merck solely as a convenience for patients and caregivers. Merck does not control the content of this site and has not taken steps to verify the accuracy of the listing provided. The organizations listed on the site do not imply an endorsement or referral by Merck, nor do they signify the organizations' endorsement of Merck or its products.
About biomarkers
Everyone’s cancer is different. To help develop a treatment plan that’s right for you, your doctor may order biomarker tests. These tests can measure your tumor for different biomarkers, including biomarkers known as MSI or MMR and another biomarker called PD-L1. Biomarker tests may be used to help predict your response to certain treatments, such as KEYTRUDA or KEYTRUDA QLEX.
PD-L1:
Talk to your doctor to see if a PD-L1 biomarker test is right for you.
MSI/MMR:
Talk to your doctor to see if a laboratory test for the MSI or MMR biomarker is right for you.
PD-1 and PD-L1 are types of proteins found on cells in your body. PD-1 protein is found on immune cells called T cells. It normally acts as a type of “off switch” that helps keep the T cells from attacking other cells in the body. PD-1 attaches to PD-L1, a protein found on some normal (and cancer) cells. This interaction basically tells the T cell to leave the other cell alone and not attack it. Some cancer cells have large amounts of PD-L1, which helps them hide from immune attack.
Therapies that target either PD-1 or PD-L1 can stop them from attaching and help keep cancer cells from hiding.
Learn more about KEYTRUDA and KEYTRUDA QLEX, two immunotherapies that work by blocking the PD-1 pathway.
KEYTRUDA and KEYTRUDA QLEX can cause your immune system to attack normal organs and tissues in any area of your body and can affect the way they work. These problems can sometimes become severe or life-threatening and can lead to death. You can have more than one of these problems at the same time. These problems may happen any time during treatment or even after your treatment has ended.
Patient and caregiver resource library
Explore our library of downloadable resources, which includes some resources in Spanish, that are designed to help you and your loved ones throughout your treatment with KEYTRUDA or KEYTRUDA QLEX.