One of the primary uses of Ipilimumab is melanoma (a type of serious skin cancer). Ipilimumab medicine is classified under monoclonal antibody medications. Ipilimumab helps to cease or sluggish the growth of cancer cells. Ipilimumab is officially approved for melanoma treatment. But doctors use this medicine for other serious illnesses if they consider Ipilimumab may improve the patient’s condition. Therefore, Ipilimumab has many off-label applications also.
- Ipilimumab prescribes to treat melanoma for adults, children (below 12 years of age), and even elderly patients to whom surgical interventions not possible to treat their condition.
- Ipilimumab reduces the risk of relapsing melanoma after surgery and lymph node/s are affected by cancer’s metastatic nature.
- Ipilimumab in combination with nivolumab (another chemotherapeutic medication) uses to treat advanced-stage renal cell carcinoma that begins from cells of the kidneys. This combination is also used for renal cell cancer patients who do not receive any prior cancer treatment.
- Combine Ipilimumab and nivolumab treatment helps treat colorectal cancer that starts from part of the large intestine. This combination prescribes for adults, children (below 12 years of age), and older aged patients who have advanced staged cancer that spreads to other body parts and worsens the condition after treating with other chemotherapy medications.
- A combination of Ipilimumab and nivolumab is used specifically for non-small cell lung cancers that express PD-L1 without the involvement of EGFR or ALK genomic tumor abnormalities. This combination treatment usually prescribes for adults who have spread cancer to other body parts.
- Ipilimumab also jointly prescribes nivolumab and platinum chemotherapy to a certain type of Non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) in adults who have relapse their condition or spread to other body parts.
- Ipilimumab and nivolumab combination treats hepatocellular carcinoma that starts from the liver. This combination specifically uses for patients who have had already administered sorafenib, a chemotherapeutic drug.
- A combination of Ipilimumab and nivolumab also use for adults with malignant pleural mesothelioma that cannot be removed through surgical intervention. This is a type of cancer that generates from the inner lining of the lungs and chest cavity.
Ipilimumab is a generic medicine that has the most common trade name, Yervoy®. The doctor may prescribe this drug by using the generic name (ipilimumab) or trade name (Yervoy®).
References
https://medlineplus.gov/druginfo/meds/a611023.html
http://chemocare.com/chemotherapy/drug-info/ipilimumab.aspx
