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What Is Opdivo?

Opdivo is a prescription immunotherapy medication containing nivolumab, a monoclonal antibody that blocks programmed death receptor-1 (PD-1). It is approved for several types of cancer, including selected forms of melanoma, lung cancer, kidney cancer, and gastrointestinal cancers. Opdivo is administered through intravenous infusion by healthcare professionals. It can be used alone or combined with other treatments depending on the cancer type and disease stage. Opdivo helps the immune system attack cancer cells but can also cause inflammation in healthy tissues.

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What Is Opdivo?

Opdivo is a prescription immunotherapy medication containing nivolumab, a monoclonal antibody that blocks programmed death receptor-1 (PD-1). It is approved for several types of cancer, including selected forms of melanoma, lung cancer, kidney cancer, and gastrointestinal cancers. Opdivo is administered through intravenous infusion by healthcare professionals. It can be used alone or combined with other treatments depending on the cancer type and disease stage. Opdivo helps the immune system attack cancer cells but can also cause inflammation in healthy tissues.

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How Does Opdivo Work?

Opdivo blocks the PD-1 receptor on certain immune cells. Some cancer cells exploit the PD-1 signaling pathway to reduce the ability of T cells to recognize and attack them. Nivolumab prevents PD-1 from interacting with its ligands, helping restore immune activity against susceptible cancer cells. This mechanism differs from traditional chemotherapy, which directly interferes with rapidly dividing cells. Increased immune activity can also affect healthy organs, which explains the risk of immune-mediated adverse reactions.

What Types of Cancer Does Opdivo Treat?

Opdivo is approved for selected patients with melanoma, non-small cell lung cancer, renal cell carcinoma, classical Hodgkin lymphoma, head and neck squamous cell carcinoma, urothelial carcinoma, hepatocellular carcinoma, and certain colorectal and upper gastrointestinal cancers. It is also used in specified settings involving other malignancies. Eligibility depends on the diagnosis, stage, previous treatments, tumor biomarkers, and combination regimen. Some approved uses involve ipilimumab, chemotherapy, or other cancer medications. An oncologist determines the appropriate regimen using current prescribing information.

How Is Opdivo Administered?

Opdivo is administered through intravenous infusion in a healthcare setting. Common adult single-agent schedules include 240 mg every two weeks or 480 mg every four weeks, although dosing differs for some cancers and combination regimens. Pediatric dosing can depend on body weight and the approved indication. Healthcare professionals monitor patients during treatment and assess liver function, thyroid function, and other laboratory findings. Treatment duration depends on the cancer type, response, and tolerability. Serious immune-related reactions can require treatment interruption or permanent discontinuation.

What Are the Side Effects and Warnings of Opdivo?

Common side effects include fatigue, rash, itching, diarrhea, nausea, and musculoskeletal discomfort. Serious immune-mediated complications can affect the lungs, intestines, liver, kidneys, skin, eyes, and hormone-producing glands. These reactions can be life-threatening and can occur during treatment or after treatment ends. Opdivo can also cause infusion reactions and fetal harm. Patients should promptly report breathing difficulties, persistent diarrhea, yellowing of the skin, unusual weakness, eye pain, or changes in vision. Some immune-related reactions require corticosteroid treatment.

Common Questions About Opdivo

Is Opdivo the same as nivolumab?

Yes. Opdivo is the brand name for intravenous nivolumab, an immune checkpoint inhibitor used to treat selected cancers.

Is Opdivo a chemotherapy drug?

No. Opdivo is a PD-1-blocking immunotherapy. It can be combined with chemotherapy for certain cancers, but it works through a different mechanism.

How often are Opdivo infusions given?

Common adult single-agent schedules involve infusions every two or four weeks. Other schedules apply depending on the cancer and combination regimen.

Can Opdivo cause eye inflammation?

Yes. Immune-related eye problems, including uveitis, can occur. New eye pain, redness, light sensitivity, or changes in vision require prompt medical evaluation.

References

DailyMed - OPDIVO (nivolumab) injection. https://dailymed.nlm.nih.gov/dailymed/drugInfo.cfm?setid=f570b9c4-6846-4de2-abfa-4d0a4ae4e394. Date Accessed October 22, 2026.

Nivolumab. LiverTox. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK548206/. Date Accessed October 22, 2026.

Nivolumab. National Cancer Institute. https://www.cancer.gov/about-cancer/treatment/drugs/nivolumab. Date Accessed October 22, 2026.

Nivolumab. PubChem. https://pubchem.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/compound/Nivolumab. Date Accessed October 22, 2026.

Nivolumab Injection. MedlinePlus. https://medlineplus.gov/druginfo/meds/a614056.html. Date Accessed October 22, 2026.