Key takeaways:
Opdivo (nivolumab) and Yervoy (ipilimumab) are immunotherapy medications used to treat certain types of cancer, such as melanoma, lung cancer, and skin cancer.
Opdivo and Yervoy can work together to better fight cancer by activating your immune system to kill cancer cells.
There are ways to save on Opdivo and Yervoy. If you’re eligible, a manufacturer savings card can help you access Opdivo and Yervoy for as little as $0 per fill. Patient assistance programs are also available.
Save on related medications
Opdivo (nivolumab) and Yervoy (ipilimumab) are medications used to treat certain types of cancer. You may have already heard of Yervoy and its breakthrough success in treating an advanced type of skin cancer called melanoma.
Historically, melanoma was a difficult cancer to treat with traditional chemotherapy treatments. This changed when Yervoy came along as a type of cancer immunotherapy. And after Yervoy, other types of cancer immunotherapy medications — such as Opdivo and Keytruda (pembrolizumab) — also emerged.
These medications are now used as effective treatment options for many different types of cancer. And even though they’re both immunotherapies, Opdivo and Yervoy can also be used together. They complement one another — bettering their effectiveness to activate the immune system to target and kill cancer cells.
Here, we’ll discuss how Opdivo and Yervoy work, how effective they are, and some side effects to be aware of.
What are Opdivo and Yervoy?
Opdivo is a brand-name medication used to treat certain types of cancer, including melanoma (skin cancer), lung cancer, and bladder cancer. It can also treat kidney cancer, in addition to many other types of cancer.
Opdivo is a biologic medication and it’s given as an intravenous (IV) infusion over a period of time. It’s given via an IV by a cancer specialist in a hospital or clinic. How often you’ll receive Opdivo depends on your dose and if you’re receiving it alone or with another medication. When receiving Opdivo alone, you’ll usually receive infusions every 2 or 4 weeks.
Yervoy is another brand-name biologic medication. It treats many of the same cancers as Opdivo, including melanoma, lung cancer, and kidney cancer.
Yervoy is also given as an IV infusion in a hospital or clinic. You’ll likely receive Yervoy every 3 weeks regardless if you’re receiving it alone or in combination with another medication. In some cases, though, it’s possible that you’ll receive Yervoy every 6 weeks.
Good to know: Opdivo Qvantig (nivolumab / hyaluronidase) is a different form of Opdivo that’s given as a subcutaneous (under-the-skin) injection instead of an IV infusion. It’s usually administered by a cancer specialist every 2 or 4 weeks. It can also be given every 3 weeks when used in combination with chemotherapy.
Why are Opdivo and Yervoy taken together?
These two medications may be used alone or with other cancer treatments. They’re also commonly given together. In fact, Opdivo and Yervoy are FDA approved to be given together to treat the following cancers:
Melanoma (a type of skin cancer)
Advanced renal cell carcinoma (a type of kidney cancer)
Metastatic non-small cell lung cancer (an advanced type of lung cancer)
Certain types of colorectal cancer
Malignant pleural mesothelioma (a type of cancer that affects a lining that surrounds many internal organs)
Esophageal cancer
Hepatocellular carcinoma (a type of liver cancer)
How Opdivo (nivolumab) and Yervoy (ipilimumab) work for cancer: Read on to take a deeper look at how immunotherapy works to treat cancer.
Opdivo FAQs: Learn how long Opdivo stays in your system, plus answers to other frequently asked questions.
Opdivo side effects: These are the key side effects to be aware of when receiving Opdivo.
How do Opdivo and Yervoy work?
Opdivo is an immunotherapy medication, meaning it helps your body's immune system find cancer cells and kill them. This helps your body be better at fighting cancer. Opdivo is in a class of medications called PD-1 inhibitors, also known as immune checkpoint inhibitors.
PD-1 is a protein found on a specific type of immune cell, called a T cell. PD-1 can bind to another protein called PD-L1 that lives on the surface of many cancer cells. This process can prevent your immune system cells (T cells) from being able to find the cancer cells. Opdivo works by blocking PD-1, which allows the T cells to detect and kill the cancer cells.
Yervoy is also an immunotherapy medication, but it works on a different protein than Opdivo. Yervoy binds to cytotoxic T-lymphocyte associated antigen 4 (CTLA-4) proteins on T cells. This enables your immune system to increase the amount of T cells it makes so that they can detect and kill cancer cells.
Ultimately, Opdivo and Yervoy target two different proteins — PD-1 and CTLA-4 — to help your body kill cancer cells. Yervoy helps T cells have a stronger response and be more active to fight cancer cells. Meanwhile, Opdivo helps T cells better recognize cancer cells. So they work together in complementary ways.
How effective are Opdivo and Yervoy?
Medication effectiveness is different for everyone. There are some studies that try to quantify medication effectiveness, but true effectiveness may be different. Your body’s response to any medication can depend on your type of cancer, other health conditions you may have, and other medications you might be receiving.
Regardless, some statistics are available as examples.
Opdivo, in combination with Yervoy, is FDA-approved as a first-choice treatment for adults with metastatic non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) whose tumors have PD-L1 and don’t have abnormal EGFR or ALK genes. PD-L1 is a protein found on lung cancer cells. If a cancer has PD-L1, this means there’s a good chance your cancer will respond to immunotherapy.
In a clinical trial of almost 800 people with metastatic NSCLC, using Opdivo and Yervoy together improved survival rate by over 20% compared to standard chemotherapy. And after 4 years, 29% of people who received both Opdivo and Yervoy were alive compared to 18% who received standard chemotherapy. In other words, people who received Opdivo and Yervoy lived longer than people who didn't.
The combination of Opdivo and Yervoy is an effective treatment for other types of cancer, such as melanoma and kidney cancer. But, again, success rates vary.
What are common side effects of Opdivo and Yervoy?
Opdivo and Yervoy can cause mild to serious side effects. They can cause the immune system to attack healthy cells, causing immune-related side effects like skin rashes or severe diarrhea. Side effects can occur during or after treatment, and may worsen over time. And when Opdivo and Yervoy are given in combination together, the risk of side effects may be higher.
Other common Opdivo side effects and Yervoy side effects include:
Feeling tired
Muscle or joint pain
Shortness of breath
Fever
Nausea
Low thyroid hormone levels
Are there any more serious risks or side effects?
Serious side effects can be managed and treated if caught early, but may result in needing to stop treatment if they become too severe.
Rare but serious side effects of Opdivo and Yervoy may include:
Lung problems: Cough, chest pain, and shortness of breath
Stomach problems: Diarrhea, severe stomach pain, weight loss
Liver problems: Nausea and vomiting, right sided pain, yellow skin or eyes
Hormone gland problems (like thyroid, adrenal, and pancreas): Headaches, extreme tiredness, mood changes
Kidney problems: Less urine than normal, blood in urine, swelling in ankles
Skin problems: Rash, skin blistering, itching
Brain inflammation: Headache, confusion, memory problems
Problems in other organs: Changes in eyesight, muscle and joint pain, muscle weakness
Infusion reactions: Skin flushing and itching during or after an infusion
Talk with your cancer specialist about any bothersome side effects you experience. If you experience serious symptoms, seek emergency treatment right away.
How to save on Opdivo and Yervoy
Opdivo and Yervoy are only available as reference (brand-name) medications. Lower-cost biosimilars aren’t available yet. But GoodRx can help you navigate ways to save on your prescription.
Save with a copay savings card. If you have commercial insurance and meet eligibility requirements, Opdivo and Yervoy’s price is as little as $0 if you use the manufacturer’s savings card.
Save with patient assistance programs. If you’re uninsured or underinsured, you may be eligible for the Opdivo and Yervoy patient assistance programs, which offer the medications at no charge.
Frequently asked questions
Opdivo may cause hair loss, but it’s not common overall. Hair loss was a rare side effect in clinical trials and only a few people experienced it.
Though, since it’s common to receive Opdivo in combination with other cancer treatments — such as chemotherapy — it’s possible that those medications could be the cause of hair loss.
It’s hard to predict exactly what side effects you might have with Opdivo or how long they’ll last, since everyone’s experience is different. Some side effects, like swelling or a rash, may happen during your infusion or shortly after. Other side effects can show up at any time, even after you’ve stopped treatment. This can happen because Opdivo stays in your body for about 3 to 4 months after your last dose. That’s why it’s important to let your care team know right away if you notice any new or worsening symptoms, even weeks or months after stopping Opdivo.
Immunotherapies like Opdivo and Yervoy have been shown to continue treating cancer even after you’ve stopped using the medications. In some cases, though, it’s possible that your cancer can return or recur after stopping immunotherapy. This risk isn’t the same for everyone — it depends on factors like the type of cancer you had and whether you’re still receiving other treatments.
Opdivo may cause hair loss, but it’s not common overall. Hair loss was a rare side effect in clinical trials and only a few people experienced it.
Though, since it’s common to receive Opdivo in combination with other cancer treatments — such as chemotherapy — it’s possible that those medications could be the cause of hair loss.
It’s hard to predict exactly what side effects you might have with Opdivo or how long they’ll last, since everyone’s experience is different. Some side effects, like swelling or a rash, may happen during your infusion or shortly after. Other side effects can show up at any time, even after you’ve stopped treatment. This can happen because Opdivo stays in your body for about 3 to 4 months after your last dose. That’s why it’s important to let your care team know right away if you notice any new or worsening symptoms, even weeks or months after stopping Opdivo.
Immunotherapies like Opdivo and Yervoy have been shown to continue treating cancer even after you’ve stopped using the medications. In some cases, though, it’s possible that your cancer can return or recur after stopping immunotherapy. This risk isn’t the same for everyone — it depends on factors like the type of cancer you had and whether you’re still receiving other treatments.
The bottom line
Opdivo (nivolumab) and Yervoy (ipilimumab) are immunotherapy medications that can treat a variety of cancers. They can be administered by themselves, but when they’re given together, they can work even better to fight cancer. Opdivo and Yervoy are often helpful in treating cancer, but they can cause some serious side effects. To see if you're a good candidate for treatment for either medication, speak with your cancer specialist.
Why trust our experts?
References
American Association for Cancer Research. (n.d.). Study shows continuing benefit after stopping immunotherapy.
American Cancer Society. (2018). What is mesothelioma?
American Cancer Society. (2023). What is melanoma skin cancer?
American Cancer Society. (2025). Chemotherapy.
Bristol Myers Squibb. (n.d.). BMS access support copay assistance program.
Bristol Myers Squibb. (2025). Opdivo (nivolumab) injection, for intravenous use [package insert].
Bristol Myers Squibb. (2025). Opdivo Qvantig (nivolumab and hyaluronidase-nvhy) injection, for subcutaneous use [package insert].
Bristol Myers Squibb. (2025). Yervoy (ipilimumab) injection, for intravenous use [package insert].
Cancer Research Institute. (n.d.). What is cancer immunotherapy?
Fellner, C. (2012). Ipilimumab (Yervoy) prolongs survival in advanced melanoma: Serious side effects and a hefty price tag may limit its use. Pharmacy & Therapeutics.
Guo, L., et al. (2017). Nivolumab as programmed death-1 (PD-1) inhibitor for targeted immunotherapy in tumor. Journal of Cancer.
Hellmann, M.D., et al. (2019) Nivolumab plus ipilimumab in advanced non-small-cell lung cancer. The New England Journal of Medicine.
Kooshkaki, O., et al. (2020). Combination of ipilimumab and nivolumab in cancers: From clinical practice to ongoing clinical trials. International Journal of Molecular Sciences.
National Cancer Institute. (n.d.). ALK gene. National Institutes of Health.
National Cancer Institute. (n.d.). EGFR gene. National Institutes of Health.
National Cancer Institute. (n.d.). Immune checkpoint inhibitor. National Institutes of Health.
National Cancer Institute. (n.d.). PD-1. National Institutes of Health.
National Cancer Institute. (n.d.). PD-L1. National Institutes of Health.
National Cancer Institute. (2021). Targeted cancer therapies. National Institutes of Health.
National Comprehensive Cancer Network. (2025). Metastatic non-small cell lung cancer.
Tarhini, A., et al. (2010). Releasing the brake on the immune system: Ipilimumab in melanoma and other tumors. Cancer biotherapy & radiopharmaceuticals.
