Opdivo and Yervoy are immunotherapy drugs that may be used together to treat certain types of advanced cancer. They can boost treatment efficacy and improve life expectancy. These drugs have several side effects to be aware of.

Opdivo (nivolumab) and Yervoy (ipilimumab) are immunotherapy drugs that are used for the treatment of certain types of cancer. Immunotherapy drugs help your immune system to better respond to and destroy cancer cells.

Opdivo and Yervoy each have individual uses, but they can also be used together. Continue reading to learn about why Opdivo and Yervoy may be used together, what their side effects are, and how effective these drugs are in combination.

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Both Opdivo and Yervoy are a type of immunotherapy drug called an immune checkpoint inhibitor. They’re used together to treat several types of advanced cancers.

A cancer is advanced when it has spread into nearby tissues or distant organs (metastasis) and is unlikely to be cured. Treatment of advanced cancers focuses on:

  • shrinking the tumor
  • preventing further spread
  • managing symptoms
  • improving survival

About 50% of cancers don’t respond to immune checkpoint inhibitor therapy with just one drug, which is called monotherapy. Because Opdivo and Yervoy have different targets, they can be used together to help improve treatment outcomes.

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved Opdivo and Yervoy to treat the following types of advanced cancers in certain situations:

In certain situations, either drug may be prescribed alone (as monotherapy) or with other cancer treatments, such as chemotherapy.

It’s possible to experience side effects from Opdivo and Yervoy. These may range from mild to serious. Some long-term side effects are also possible. These side effects may be temporary, lasting a few days to weeks. However, if the side effects last longer than that, bother you, or become severe, be sure to talk with your doctor or pharmacist.

To learn more about side effects of these drugs, see these articles on Opdivo side effects and Yervoy side effects.

More common side effects

Opdivo and Yervoy can cause certain side effects, some of which are more common than others. These are just a few of the more common side effects reported by people who received Opdivo and Yervoy in studies:

  • fatigue
  • fever
  • diarrhea
  • nausea or vomiting
  • rash
  • muscle or joint pain

Mild side effects

Mild side effects that have been reported when these two drugs are used together include:

This list doesn’t include all possible mild side effects of these drugs. In most cases, these side effects should be temporary. And some may be easily managed. But if you have symptoms that are ongoing or bothersome, talk with your doctor or pharmacist. And do not stop these drugs unless your doctor recommends it.

Serious side effects

Serious side effects have been reported with Opdivo and Yervoy. These include:

  • infusion-related reactions, which may cause fever, chills, rash, flushed face, wheezing, or itchy skin
  • pneumonia
  • conditions caused by your immune system attacking healthy organs or tissues. Examples include:
    • pneumonitis (swelling in the lungs)
    • colitis (swelling in the colon/large intestine)
    • hepatitis (swelling in the liver)
    • nephritis (swelling in certain areas of your kidneys)
    • problems affecting glands that make hormones, which may lead to conditions such as thyroid disease or Addison disease
    • eye inflammation, which may cause vision problems

If you develop serious side effects while receiving Opdivo and Yervoy, call your doctor right away. If the side effects seem life threatening or you think you’re having a medical emergency, immediately call 911 or your local emergency number.

Allergic reaction

For some people, Opdivo and Yervoy can cause an allergic reaction.

In general, symptoms of allergic reaction can be mild or serious. You can learn more about possible symptoms in this article.

What might help

If you have mild symptoms of an allergic reaction, such as a mild rash, call your doctor right away. They may suggest a treatment to manage your symptoms and can determine whether you should keep receiving these drugs.

If you have symptoms of a severe allergic reaction, such as swelling or trouble breathing, call 911 or your local emergency number right away. These symptoms could be life threatening and require immediate medical care.

If your doctor confirms you’ve had a serious allergic reaction to Opdivo or Yervoy, they may have you switch to a different treatment.

Long-term side effects

Long-term side effects include those that may start at any time you’re taking a drug, even if you’ve taken it for a long time. It also includes side effects that may not go away, even after you stop taking the drug.

In studies of Opdivo and Yervoy used together, some people developed conditions caused by the immune system attacking healthy organs or tissues. These conditions may start at any time during treatment or even after treatment ends. Examples include:

  • pneumonitis (swelling in the lungs)
  • colitis (swelling in the colon/large intestine)
  • hepatitis (swelling in the liver)
  • nephritis (swelling in certain areas of your kidneys)
  • problems affecting glands that make hormones, which may lead to conditions such as thyroid disease or Addison disease
  • eye inflammation, which may cause vision problems

In most cases, these conditions can be managed with appropriate care.

If you develop one or more of these conditions during treatment with Opdivo and Yervoy, your doctor may recommend ways to manage your symptoms. Or they may have you stop taking the medications.

Talk with your doctor to learn more about possible side effects of Opdivo and Yervoy and how long they may last.

Studies have found that using Opdivo and Yervoy together can increase the success rate of treatment as well as improve life expectancy. Let’s explore some of the clinical trial results below.

A phase 3 clinical trial for advanced melanoma found that Opdivo with Yervoy was more successful than either drug alone and also boosted life expectancy after 5 years. Specifically:

  • A median overall survival of over 60 months was seen for Opdivo with Yervoy. Median survival was 36.9 and 19.9 months for Opdivo and Yervoy alone, respectively.
  • The 5-year overall survival was 52% with Opdivo and Yervoy. It was 44% and 26% with Opdivo or Yervoy alone, respectively.

Another phase 3 clinical trial for advanced esophageal cancer found that Opdivo with Yervoy slightly improved life expectancy.

After at least 13 months, individuals taking Opdivo with Yervoy had a median overall survival of 12.7 months compared with those having chemotherapy alone (10.7 months).

Opdivo and Yervoy are immunotherapy drugs that are used to treat certain types of advanced cancer. Immunotherapy drugs help your immune system detect and destroy cancer cells.

More specifically, Opdivo and Yervoy are immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs). ICIs work by blocking checkpoint proteins on immune cells. Normally, checkpoint proteins prevent your immune cells from attacking healthy cells. But cancer cells can use them to avoid detection.

Opdivo and Yervoy target two different checkpoint proteins. Opdivo targets PD-1, while Yervoy targets CTLA-4.

By blocking these checkpoint proteins, Opdivo and Yervoy help your immune cells find and destroy cancer cells.

Both Opdivo and Yervoy are given as an intravenous (IV) infusion. Infusions can be given in many settings, such as in a hospital, clinic, or your doctor’s office.

An IV infusion may be given through an IV line in your hand or arm. But many people receiving treatment for cancer have had a catheter placed into a large vein in their chest, such as a PICC line or a port, to help simplify drug administration.

The exact number of treatments you receive can depend on your specific treatment plan. The infusion time for each drug is usually 30 minutes. You will receive the Opdivo infusion first and the Yervoy infusion second.

Infusion-related reactions can happen when you get Opdivo and Yervoy. Let the healthcare professional administering the drugs know if you experience any symptoms of a reaction while you’re receiving your infusion. If you have questions about infusion-related reactions, talk with your doctor.

Opdivo and Yervoy are immunotherapy drugs that may be used together to treat some advanced cancers. They inhibit two different immune checkpoint proteins on immune cells, allowing them to better recognize and respond to cancer cells.

Studies have found that Opdivo with Yervoy can improve treatment efficacy and increase life expectancy when used together. These drugs are associated with several mild side effects. More serious and long-term immune-related side effects may also occur.

If you have questions about receiving Opdivo and Yervoy together, talk with your doctor.