Study summary
Adding pembrolizumab to chemotherapy shrank tumors in about 4 in 10 men with advanced penile cancer
39.4%had their tumors shrink
What was tested
Pembrolizumab, an immunotherapy, added to platinum chemotherapy as first treatment for penile cancer that had spread or come back. 11 Brazilian centers, no comparison group.
What they found
- Tumors shrank in 39.4% of men.
- Median survival was 9.6 months; the cancer was held back for a median of 5.4 months.
- Serious treatment side effects occurred in 51.4%, mostly from chemotherapy; there were no treatment-related deaths.
- There was no comparison group given chemotherapy alone.
What it means
One of the first prospective trials of immunotherapy in this cancer. A randomized trial is needed to confirm it adds to chemotherapy.
Last reviewed 2026-11-14 by the Find a Trial editorial team.
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