Pembrolizumab for Breast Cancer User Reviews

• Sur...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• November 4, 2023

Pembrolizumab "I was diagnosed with stage 4 triple negative breast cancer and told I had 6 months to live if I did nothing. I refused chemo but was a candidate for Keytruda and agreed to try it. Within 3 months, my cancer disappeared off my CTScan. 14 months later, and I am doing great. I am more tired recently, but that has been the biggest issue. I am going about my day and traveling. Without chemo, I'm really experiencing no serious side effects and look normal. I would not hesitate to recommend Keytruda. It's literally a life saver!"

• Ann...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• December 4, 2024

Pembrolizumab "I had a dermatological reaction when I first started taking it (after the second or third IV). Taking with Paclitaxel and Carboplatin. Had to stop it. Restarted at a half-dose (once every three weeks instead of every six weeks, for a year) about six weeks ago. Had no reaction at the first dose, then a severe skin reaction at the second dose, but it didn't last long. Today, (third dose), I have learned that my WBC is 16,000 and my glucose is a whopping 170! (Never happened!) I would also say I have chemo brain, I'm tired, and I am still hopeful and willing to try it for TNBC."

• Kat...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• December 9, 2022

Pembrolizumab "My mom died in less than a year after being on this drug with chemo. First 3 infusions went great - the last one she had a whole body near-fatal reaction that nearly killed her. She was in and out of hospitals with doctors unable to figure out why she could barely eat and was dizzy all the time. She died two months later at 82 lbs. She was a vibrant, healthy person before that last infusion. Keytruda took everything - there were no cancer cells detected in her last scan."

• MBC...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• January 23, 2023

Pembrolizumab "Keytruda has made my stable small tumor increase in size within 6 months, they called it pseudoprogression. After 8 months of taking Keytruda, I now have more cancer nodules than I ever have had, now hyperprogression. I am a seven-year metastatic breast cancer survivor: HER2 negative, ER positive, Braca2 mutation, and PDL 1. I have achieved remission twice, each time for a 2-year duration. First remission after 3 rounds of chemotherapy, and I refused further treatment and chose to practice natural clean living with supplementation. After two years, cancer came back. I used Kisaqali with an aromatase inhibitor, which put me into remission after approximately a year. I was stable and good with continued Kisaqali treatment for two years NSD, then a 1 cm nodule was found. Keytruda should be a last-chance treatment, if you are healthy and happy, use other treatments before trying this."

• KY ...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• July 11, 2024

Pembrolizumab "Currently having Keytruda treatments after finishing chemo and radiation. Had Keytruda in conjunction with chemo for 5 months. Now have Keytruda infusions every three weeks for at least a year. Have noticed I have severe itching after the last few treatments as well as frequent diarrhea. Will be addressing this with my oncologist at the upcoming appointment."

• Sad...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• October 29, 2023

Pembrolizumab "I took 7 doses starting April 1, 2019, ending August 25, 2019, for triple-negative breast cancer. I achieved PCR at surgery. I did experience the swelling of all pink tissue in my body (nose, throat, intestines, vagina) during treatment. (It wasn't on the list of side effects back then, and the doctors did not want to look into it.) This swelling reoccurs when I get immunizations, such as flu shots and the COVID vaccine. Prednisone has been effective in getting the swelling to go away."

• Mum...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• January 11, 2023

Pembrolizumab "I am currently on dose #13, receiving a dose every 3 weeks with a plan for 1 year of treatment. Fatigue and lower body joint pain from the first dose come and go. After the 10th dose, I developed soreness in the mouth with decreased appetite. That has improved, but I still have tender gums and upper palate. These side effects are not enough for me to stop. I had improved scans after 6 months and will repeat them every 3 months. I am benefiting from this treatment."

• Kik...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• February 22, 2025

Pembrolizumab "Not really happy about the many side effects I am experiencing! Daily headaches, extreme fatigue, mild shortness of breath, rapid heartbeat, sweating, feeling cold, nerve pain, bone, muscle, and joint pain, decreased appetite, abdominal pain that is always present and gets worse every time I eat, mucus in stools, nausea unrelated to eating, tingling and random stabbing nerve pain. I have 3 more treatments, and I’m finished unless the TNBC comes back. My oncologist has given me the choice to stop the Keytruda infusions if I can’t tolerate the side effects, but I’m afraid that the cancer will come back! The pathology report from my mastectomy showed a complete response to the chemotherapy and no positive sentinel or other lymph nodes, so at present, I am cancer-free. I want to stay that way, so I’ll keep doing the infusions unless my oncologist says they have to be stopped. I can’t describe if it worked or if it was the other chemotherapy drugs that worked. Despite side effects, I’ll continue."

• Chr...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• April 4, 2025

Pembrolizumab "Side effects: unrelenting itching, increased nerve pain such as carpal and cubital tunnel pain, fasciculations, paresthesias, random sharp nerve pain strikes like I am being stabbed with an ice pick, joint pain, worsening of back and hip pain, arms feel heavy, leg and ankle swelling, abdominal pain, headaches, nausea, mouth sores, loss of appetite, shortness of breath, extreme fatigue, hair loss, increase in tinnitus. I have CRPS, and it has definitely caused an exacerbation of pain in that area! I don’t know if it’s working. I’ve been on it every 3 weeks for 1 year. I only have 1/2 to 1 day of feeling semi-OK within the 3-week cycle, and that is the day before the next infusion! I hope it’s working, but don’t know if it is. I think it’s worth a try if you can stand the side effects, but regardless, if you have an aggressive cancer diagnosis, you’ll do anything necessary or recommended in an effort to keep it from coming back!"

• Sis...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• January 27, 2025

"I started this drug along with carboplatin and docetaxel on 7/2/24 for stage 3 breast cancer and lymph nodes. Right away I had horrible side effects! On 10/1/24 I was sent to the edge because of very high heart rate and blood pressure, which I never had an issue with before. Diagnosed with sinus tachycardia, I requested medicine to control heart rate and blood pressure, but the doctor said it would go away. It's common. I refused pembrolizumab after the 3rd treatment. The doctor was upset with me, and I was upset with him. On 1/3/25 I was back in the ER, heart rate 152, ECG showed sinus tachycardia, left atrial enlargement, and consider inferior infarct. Also, blood troponin elevated, blood clot in arm. The doctor still wouldn't prescribe anything. In February he prescribed blood pressure medication. Yay! My surgeon refused to operate without a heart specialist seeing me. Thank God! The lump shrunk from 5 cm to 0.5 mm! I go to the specialist on 1/29/25, wish me luck that the medicine that saved me from cancer doesn't kill me because of heart damage left untreated."

• Kan...
• March 11, 2021

Pembrolizumab "My mom was doing fine walking, all blood work normal and talking. One dose of Keytruda and in 5 weeks she died. Do not try this drug."

• Sta...
• August 22, 2024

Pembrolizumab "It is working... in combination with chemo. My tumors are shrinking. Lots of side effects. Colitis, nausea, blurred vision, muscle pain, headache, back pain, loss of energy... could be the chemo."

• Anonymous
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• June 7, 2023

Pembrolizumab "The day after treatment, I have dizziness, lightheadedness, a light headache, and feel off balance. I'm sure it's working because no other signs of cancer exist."