The FDA approved pembrolizumab (Keytruda, Merck) for the first-line treatment of patients with unresectable or metastatic microsatellite instability-high (MSI-H) or mismatch repair–deficient (dMMR) colorectal cancer. This drug is the first immunotherapy approved for this patient population as first-line monotherapy.
“Metastatic colorectal cancer is a serious and life-threatening disease with a poor prognosis. Available current therapy with chemotherapy combinations and other