Lung Cancer Medications

Cytotoxic chemotherapy, the oldest and most commonly used type of cancer treatment, halts cell division and kills rapidly growing cells. For a full list of chemotherapy drugs, click here.

Zepzelca is an alkylating drug approved for the treatment of metastatic small-cell lung cancer that has progressed during or after platinum-based chemotherapy.

Imfinzi is a checkpoint inhiibtor approved for advanced or metastatic bladder (urothelial) cancer, inoperable non-small-cell lung cancer and extensive-stage small cell lung cancer.

Keytruda is a PD-1 checkpoint inhibitor approved for inoperable or metastatic melanoma, adjuvant treatment of melanoma after surgery, non-small-cell lung cancer, bladder (urothelial) cancer, head and neck cancer, esophageal cancer, liver cancer, kidney cancer, stomach cancer, classic Hodgkin lymphoma, primary mediastinal large B-cell lymphoma, Merkel cell carcinoma, cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma and pre- and post-surgery treatment of triple-negative breast cancer. It is also approved for all metastatic solid tumors with high microsatellite instability or mismatch repair deficiency mutations (MSI-H/dMMR) or high tumor mutation burden. 

Libtayo is a checkpoint inhibitor approved for two types of skin cancer, metastatic or locally advanced cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma (CSCC) and advanced basal cell carcinoma, and for advanced or metastatic non-small-cell lung cancer with high PD-L1 expression.

Opdivo is a checkpoint inhibitor approved for inoperable or metastatic melanoma, metastatic or recurrent non-small-cell lung cancer, advanced kidney cancer, relapsed or refractory classical Hodgkin lymphoma, recurrent or metastatic head and neck cancer, advanced or metastatic bladder (urothelial) cancer, liver cancer, advanced stomach and esophageal cancer, malignant pleural mesothelioma and colorectal cancer with high microsatellite instability or mismatch repair deficiency genetic mutations. 

Tecentriq is a checkpoint inhibitor approved for the treatment of advanced or metastatic bladder (urothelial) cancer, metastatic non-small-cell lung cancer, extensive-stage small-cell lung cancer, metastatic liver cancer and inoperable or metastatic melanoma.

Yervoy is a checkpoint inhibitor approved for advanced or metastatic melanoma, and in combination with Opdivo for kidney cancer (renal cell carcinoma), colorectal cancer with high microsatellite instability or mismatch repair deficiency genetic mutations (MSI-high/dMMR), advanced liver cancer and metastatic or recurrent non-small-cell lung cancer.

Alecensa is an anaplastic lymphoma kinase (ALK) inhibitor approved for the treatment of ALK-positive non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC).

Alunbrig is an anaplastic lymphoma kinase inhibitor approved for the treatment of ALK-positive metastatic non-small-cell lung cancer.

Avastin is a VEGF inhibitor approved for the treatment of metastatic colorectal cancer, non-squamous non-small cell lung cancer, metastatic kidney cancer (renal cell carcinoma), recurrent or metastatic cervical cancer, recurrent glioblastoma brain cancer, liver cancer, and ovarian, fallopian tube or primary peritoneal cancer. Mvasi and Zirabev are biosimilar medications.

Cyramza is a VEGFR2 inhibitor approved for treatment of cancer of the stomach or gastroesophageal junction (where the stomach meets the esophagus), metastatic non-small-cell lung cancer, metastatic colorectal cancer and inoperable or metastatic liver cancer.

Gavreto is a kinase inhibitor approved for the treatment of metastatic non-small-cell lung cancer with RET gene fusions and metastatic thyroid cancer with RET mutations or fusions.

Gilotrif is a kinase inhibitor approved for people with metastatic non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) with EGFR mutations who are being treated for the first time or who have experienced disease progression on chemotherapy.

Iressa is a tyrosine kinase inhibitor approved for people with metastatic non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) with certain EGFR mutations who are being treated for the first time.

Lorbrena is an anaplastic lymphoma kinase inhibitor approved for the treatment of ALK-positive non-small-cell lung cancer.

Mekinist is a kinase inhibitor approved to treat certain cancers with BRAF V600 mutations. It can be used alone to treat people with inoperable or metastatic melanoma. It is approved in combination with the companion drug Tafinlar for treatment of inoperable or metastatic melanoma and for prevention of melanoma recurrence after surgery. The combination is also approved for metastatic non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) and advanced thyroid cancer.

Portrazza is an EGFR inhibitor approved for the first-line treatment of people with metastatic squamous non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) in combination with chemotherapy.

Retevmo is a kinase inhibitor approved for the treatment of metastatic non-small-cell lung cancer and advanced or metastatic thyroid cancer with RET gene fusions or mutations.

Rozlytrek is approved for the treatment of solid tumors anywhere in the body that have NTRK gene fusions and for ROS1-positive non-small-cell lung cancer.

Tabrecta is a kinase inhibitor approved for the treatment of metastatic non-small-cell lung cancer with a specific genetic mutation.

Tafinlar is a kinase inhibitor approved to treat certain cancers with BRAF V600 mutations. It can be used alone to treat people with inoperable or metastatic melanoma. It is approved in combination with the companion drug Mekinist for treatment of inoperable or metastatic melanoma and for prevention of melanoma recurrence after surgery. The combination is also approved for metastatic non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) and advanced thyroid cancer.

Tagrisso is a kinase inhibitor approved for people with non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) with certain EGFR mutations.

Tarceva is an EGFR inhibitor approved for the treatment of metastatic non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) with EGFR mutations, and as first-line therapy for locally advanced, inoperable or metastatic pancreatic cancer, in combination with gemcitabine chemotherapy.

Vitrakvi is a TRK inhibitor that works against cancers anywhere in the body with NTRK gene fusions.

Vizimpro is a kinase inhibitor approved for people with metastatic non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) with certain EGFR mutations who are being treated for the first time.

Xalkori is a kinase inhibitor approved for the treatment of ALK- or ROS1-positive metastatic non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) and for children and young adults with relapsed or refractory ALK-positive anaplastic large cell lymphoma.

Zykadia is a kinase inhibitor approved for the treatment of ALK-positive metastatic non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC).