Melanoma
KEYTRUDA for early-stage melanoma (stage 2B or 2C)
Understanding treatment and clinical trial results

Is KEYTRUDA right for you?
If you have been diagnosed with stage 2B or 2C melanoma, KEYTRUDA may be used to help prevent melanoma from coming back or spreading to other parts of the body after it has been removed by surgery.
Understanding options after surgery for stage 2B or 2C melanoma
Learn about options after surgery, the chance of melanoma coming back or spreading, and if treatment after surgery may be right for you. Talk to your doctor about KEYTRUDA as a possible treatment option.
Even if you’ve had surgery to remove melanoma, there is a chance melanoma can return or spread. When melanoma returns, it’s called recurrence. Your doctor may recommend treatment after surgery that may help prevent cancer from coming back or spreading.
Below are results from a study reviewing medical charts of patients with stage 2B or 2C melanoma who were recommended to “watch and wait” after surgery.
For patients with stage 2B melanoma
- 37% of people (140 out of 375) had their cancer return after surgery.
- 50% of people (70 out of 140) had their cancer spread to other parts of the body after surgery.
For patients with stage 2C melanoma
- 43% of people (83 out of 192) had their cancer return after surgery.
- 58% of people (48 out of 83) had their cancer spread to other parts of the body after surgery.
It's important to talk with your doctors to understand your options, including treatment after surgery.
Your care team may be made up of several health care providers and supporters. You may see different doctors at different times. Learn more about each doctor’s role in your treatment plan:
Dermatologist: A doctor who specializes in the skin and may diagnose melanoma. They may also monitor you after surgery to check that cancer has not returned.
Surgeon: A doctor who performs operations. Stage 2B or 2C melanoma may be removed by a surgeon. They may refer you to an oncologist after surgery.
Oncologist: A doctor who specializes in cancer and cancer treatment. Along with your dermatologist and surgeon, an oncologist may help develop the right treatment plan for you, including whether treatment after surgery is necessary.
If you have not been referred to an oncologist, talk to your surgeon or dermatologist about a referral.
Clinical Trial Results
After surgery to remove early-stage melanoma (stage 2B or 2C), KEYTRUDA may help prevent the melanoma from coming back or spreading to other parts of the body
The clinical trial included:
- People (12 years and older) who had surgery to remove stage 2B or stage 2C melanoma
- 487 people who received 200 mg of KEYTRUDA every 3 weeks were compared to 489 people who received placebo*
*Placebo = an inactive treatment given instead of an active treatment.
More people who received KEYTRUDA did not have their melanoma return after it was removed by surgery compared to people who received placebo
In the clinical trial, more people who received KEYTRUDA after surgery did not have their stage 2B or stage 2C melanoma return at the time of follow-up, compared to people who received placebo.
More people who received KEYTRUDA did not have their melanoma spread to other parts of the body compared to people who received placebo
At a later time point for the same trial, more people who received KEYTRUDA after surgery did not have their stage 2B or stage 2C melanoma spread to other parts of the body, compared to those who received placebo.
Understanding clinical trial results
There’s a lot to learn about your diagnosis. Your doctor may use several terms to talk about treatment goals, and it’s important you understand them.
Cancer did not return after surgery: One way doctors may decide how well a treatment works is to measure recurrence-free survival (RFS). RFS is the length of time from the end of the first treatment until there are signs or symptoms that the original cancer returned. RFS may also be called disease-free survival or relapse-free survival.
Cancer did not spread to other parts of the body: Another way doctors may decide how well a treatment works is to measure distant metastasis-free survival (DMFS). DMFS is the length of time from the start of treatment until there are signs the cancer has spread from where it started to other parts of the body.