Nivolumab
This page contains brief information about nivolumab (Opdivo) and a collection of links to more information about the use of this drug, research results, and ongoing clinical trials.
Opdivo Injection
FDA label information for this drug is available at DailyMed.
Use in Cancer
Nivolumab is approved to be used alone or with other drugs to treat:
- Classical Hodgkin lymphoma that has relapsed (come back) or gotten worse after either:
- An autologous stem cell transplant and treatment with brentuximab vedotin; or
- At least three other types of treatment including an autologous stem cell transplant.
- Colorectal cancer in adults and children 12 years and older. It is used to treat metastatic microsatellite instability-high (MSI-H) or mismatch repair deficient (dMMR) cancer that got worse after treatment with a fluoropyrimidine, oxaliplatin, and irinotecan.
- Hepatocellular carcinoma (a type of liver cancer). It is used in patients who have already been treated with sorafenib.
- Melanoma. It is used:
- In patients whose disease cannot be removed by surgery or has metastasized. It is sometimes used with ipilimumab.
- In patients who have had surgery to remove melanoma that has spread to the lymph nodes or has metastasized.
- Non-small cell lung cancer that has metastasized. It is used in patients whose disease got worse during or after treatment with platinum chemotherapy. Patients whose cancer has certain gene mutations should receive nivolumab only if their disease got worse after treatment with FDA-approved therapy for the gene mutations.
- Renal cell carcinoma (a type of kidney cancer) that is advanced. It is used in patients who have already received angiogenesis inhibitor therapy.
- Squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck that has metastasized or recurred (come back) in patients whose disease got worse during or after treatment with platinum chemotherapy.
- Urothelial carcinoma (a type of bladder cancer) that is locally advanced or has metastasized. It is used in patients whose disease got worse during or after treatment with platinum chemotherapy.
Nivolumab is also being studied in the treatment of other types of cancer.
More About Nivolumab
Definition from the NCI Drug Dictionary - Detailed scientific definition and other names for this drug.
MedlinePlus Information on Nivolumab - A lay language summary of important information about this drug that may include the following:
- warnings about this drug,
- what this drug is used for and how it is used,
- what you should tell your doctor before using this drug,
- what you should know about this drug before using it,
- other drugs that may interact with this drug, and
- possible side effects.
Drugs are often studied to find out if they can help treat or prevent conditions other than the ones they are approved for. This patient information sheet applies only to approved uses of the drug. However, much of the information may also apply to unapproved uses that are being studied.
Research Results and Related Resources
Nivolumab Receives Accelerated Approval from FDA for Advanced Liver Cancer
FDA Approves Nivolumab for Some Metastatic Colorectal Cancers
FDA Approves Nivolumab for Bladder Cancer
With Immunotherapy, Glimmers of Progress Against Glioblastoma
Lung Cancer Precision Medicine Trials: Adapting to Progress
Nivolumab-Based Treatments Delay Progression of Advanced Melanoma
Nivolumab Improves Overall Survival in Patients With Metastatic Melanoma Without a BRAF Mutation
New Therapies Are Changing the Outlook for Advanced Melanoma
Clinical Trials Accepting Patients
Find Clinical Trials for Nivolumab - Check for trials from NCI's list of cancer clinical trials now accepting patients.