The short answer
Opdivo (Nivolumab) is a type of immunotherapy called an immune checkpoint inhibitor. It blocks the PD-1 protein that some cancers use to switch off immune cells, helping the immune system recognize and attack the cancer. It is used to help treat melanoma, lung cancer, kidney cancer, and other cancers, and is usually given as an IV infusion, sometimes with another immunotherapy. Like all cancer medicines it can cause side effects; this page explains the common ones and the warning signs to report. It is educational only and not a substitute for your care team's advice.
Opdivo is the brand name; its generic name is nivolumab.
It is a type of immunotherapy called an immune checkpoint inhibitor — it blocks the PD-1 protein that some cancers use to switch off immune cells, helping the immune system recognize and attack the cancer.
It is used to help treat melanoma, lung cancer, kidney cancer, and several other cancers.
It is usually given as an IV infusion, sometimes with another immunotherapy.
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The full explanation.
Taking a brake off your own immune system
Nivolumab does not attack cancer cells. It works on your immune system instead.
T cells carry a switch called PD-1. When PD-1 is pressed, the T cell stands down. This is normal, and it stops the immune system attacking healthy tissue. Many tumors press that switch on purpose, so the T cells around them never act.
Nivolumab covers PD-1 so the tumor cannot press it. The T cells stay switched on. Opdivo is the brand name; nivolumab is the generic name.
Where it is approved to be used
Nivolumab has one of the longest approval lists in cancer care. It covers melanoma, non-small cell lung cancer, mesothelioma, kidney cancer, classical Hodgkin lymphoma, head and neck cancer, bladder and urinary tract cancer, bowel cancer with MSI-high or dMMR results, liver cancer, and cancers of the esophagus and stomach.
The details inside each of those matter. Some approvals are for advanced disease, some are given after surgery, and some are only for tumors with a certain PD-L1 result. Some are for nivolumab alone and some only in a pair with ipilimumab, or with chemotherapy. Ask your team which line on that list is yours.
Drip or injection: two ways it is now given
The original form, Opdivo, is a drip into a vein. It runs over about half an hour, every two, three or four weeks.
There is now also a version given as an injection under the skin. It is called Opdivo Qvantig, and it mixes nivolumab with an enzyme that helps it spread through the tissue. The injection takes a few minutes rather than half an hour. It is not approved for every use the drip covers, so it is not a swap you can simply request.
Immune side effects can reach any organ
Most people get tiredness, itching, a rash, loose stools or aching joints. Those are usually manageable.
The effects to know about are different. Because the drug lifts a brake on the immune system, immune cells can turn on healthy tissue. The label is blunt about this: it can happen in any organ or tissue. The lungs, bowel, liver, skin, kidneys and hormone glands are the usual ones.
Two points get missed. These reactions can start at any time in treatment. They can also start weeks or months after your last dose.
Signs that need help now
Call 911 if you have chest pain, if you struggle to breathe at rest, or if a rash is blistering or peeling off in sheets. Do not drive yourself.
The label tells you to contact your healthcare provider immediately, not at the next appointment, for:
- A new or worsening cough, chest pain, or shortness of breath
- Diarrhea, or severe belly pain
- Yellow skin or eyes, bad nausea or vomiting, pain on the right side of your abdomen, unusual tiredness, or easy bruising or bleeding
- Signs of a hormone gland problem, which can include feeling unusually cold, exhausted or thirsty, or a fast heartbeat
- Any rash
- Passing much less urine than normal, blood in your urine, swollen ankles, or loss of appetite
Do not wait to see if these settle. Treated early, most are reversible with steroids. Left alone, some are not.
The blood tests along the way
Before you start, and then regularly, your team checks liver enzymes, kidney function and thyroid hormones. These pick up problems before you feel them. Thyroid trouble in particular is common and easy to correct.
If you have had a stem cell transplant from a donor, or may have one later, tell your team. The label flags serious complications when this drug and that transplant are combined.
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Words to know
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Common questions
What is Opdivo?
Opdivo (Nivolumab) is a type of immunotherapy called an immune checkpoint inhibitor. It blocks the PD-1 protein that some cancers use to switch off immune cells, helping the immune system recognize and attack the cancer. It is used to help treat melanoma, lung cancer, kidney cancer, and several other cancers.
How is Opdivo given?
It is usually given as an IV infusion, sometimes with another immunotherapy. It is given as an intravenous (IV) infusion — a slow drip into a vein — at a clinic or hospital, usually repeated on a schedule of cycles with rest periods in between. The exact schedule is set by your care team.
What are the common side effects of Opdivo?
Commonly reported side effects include tiredness, rash or itching, diarrhea, nausea, and aches. Not everyone gets them, and many can be managed. Tell your care team about anything new or worsening.
Does Opdivo cure cancer?
That depends on the person, the cancer type, and its stage. For some people a medicine like this can control cancer for a long time or be part of a curative plan; for others the goal is to slow the cancer or ease symptoms. Your care team can explain the goal in your situation.
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Sources last checked: 2026-08-13 what this meansLast updated: 2026-08-17Next planned review: 2027-01-14
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How this page was created
Cancer Explained does not originate medical claims. Every page restates guidance already published by the National Cancer Institute, the CDC, the USPSTF and the FDA, in plain language, with the source cited so you can check the original yourself. AI does the translating and organizing; automated checks test claims, citations, clarity and safety before anything publishes. We do not employ clinicians and do not intend to — our work is translation and navigation, not clinical judgment. Nothing here is personal medical advice, and no page can account for your particular situation.
Editorial status: Editorial review complete — This page completed Cancer Explained's editorial checks (sources, safety, plain language, duplication). It has not been reviewed by a physician or other healthcare professional.
Human medical review: not completed. Pages here are not signed off by a clinician before they publish. That is not an oversight we are quietly working around: we restate published guidance and cite it, so the authority belongs to the source rather than to us, and every page names where its claims come from — you can verify us instead of trusting us. Where a volunteer clinician has reviewed a page, their name and credentials appear on it; where no name appears, no clinician has checked it. We are glad to have reviewers and are recruiting them, and we do not hold pages back waiting for one. Use this site to understand your situation and to ask better questions of the people treating you.
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