What each newer treatment is, what the FDA has approved it for, and where it is given. Ask your oncologist whether one fits your cancer.
CAR T-cell therapy
Adults (and some young people) with certain leukemias, lymphomas or multiple myeloma that came back or did not respond to earlier treatment. Each product has its own label, so ask your oncologist which one fits.
Your own T cells (a type of immune cell) are changed in a laboratory so they attack cancer cells, then given back to you through an IV. It is used to treat certain blood cancers.
Kymriah (tisagenlecleucel): Acute lymphoblastic leukemia in people up to 25 years old; some large B-cell lymphomas and follicular lymphoma in adults, after other treatments FDA
Yescarta (axicabtagene ciloleucel): Some large B-cell lymphomas and follicular lymphoma in adults FDA
Tecartus (brexucabtagene autoleucel): Mantle cell lymphoma and B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia in adults FDA
Breyanzi (lisocabtagene maraleucel): Large B-cell lymphoma, chronic lymphocytic leukemia, follicular, mantle cell and marginal zone lymphoma in adults FDA
Abecma (idecabtagene vicleucel): Multiple myeloma in adults, after several earlier treatments FDA
Carvykti (ciltacabtagene autoleucel): Multiple myeloma in adults, after at least one earlier treatment FDA
Where. Only at certified or authorized treatment centers. Plan to stay near the center for weeks of monitoring after the infusion.
Adults with certain leukemias, lymphomas, myeloma or small cell lung cancer, usually after other treatments. These drugs can cause serious reactions (FDA boxed warning for some), so they start under close watch.
A laboratory-made drug that holds a T cell (an immune cell) and a cancer cell together so the T cell can kill it. Given as an injection or IV, not made from your own cells.
Blincyto (blinatumomab): B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia, in adults and children FDA
Tecvayli (teclistamab-cqyv): Multiple myeloma that came back or did not respond, after at least four earlier treatments FDA
Elrexfio (elranatamab-bcmm): Multiple myeloma that came back or did not respond, after at least four earlier treatments FDA
Talvey (talquetamab-tgvs): Multiple myeloma that came back or did not respond, after at least four earlier treatments FDA
Epkinly (epcoritamab-bysp): Some large B-cell lymphomas after two or more earlier treatments FDA
Columvi (glofitamab-gxbm): Some large B-cell lymphomas after two or more earlier treatments FDA
Adults with melanoma that has spread or cannot be removed, who were already treated with a PD-1 blocking antibody (and, for BRAF V600 melanoma, a BRAF inhibitor).
Immune cells (lymphocytes) that already fight your tumor are taken from it, grown in large numbers in a laboratory, and given back to you.
Amtagvi (lifileucel): Melanoma that cannot be removed by surgery or has spread, after a PD-1 blocking antibody (and a BRAF inhibitor if the melanoma has that change) FDA
Where. Only at authorized treatment centers. It needs surgery to take a tumor sample first.
Teens (12 and older) and adults with synovial sarcoma that cannot be removed or has spread, who had chemotherapy, and whose blood and tumor tests match.
Your own T cells are given a new receptor (a sensor) that spots a protein called MAGE-A4 on cancer cells, then grown in the laboratory and given back to you.
Tecelra (afamitresgene autoleucel): Synovial sarcoma that cannot be removed by surgery or has spread, after chemotherapy, when a test shows certain HLA types and MAGE-A4 on the tumor FDA
Adults with PSMA-positive prostate cancer (Pluvicto), or with certain neuroendocrine tumors (Lutathera). A scan first shows whether the tumor has the protein the drug targets.
A radioactive drug that attaches to a protein on cancer cells and gives off radiation that may kill them. It is given through a vein.
Pluvicto (lutetium Lu 177 vipivotide tetraxetan): PSMA-positive prostate cancer that has spread, including after hormone-pathway treatment FDA
Pluvicto, newer approval: PSMA-positive metastatic prostate cancer, with an androgen receptor pathway inhibitor, earlier in treatment FDA
Lutathera (lutetium Lu 177 dotatate): Somatostatin receptor-positive neuroendocrine tumors of the pancreas or digestive tract, in adults and in children 12 and older FDA
Where. At treatment sites that offer it. Use the makers' own locators.
People whose tumor is near sensitive tissue, such as in the head and neck, brain, eye, lung, spine or prostate. Your radiation oncologist decides if it helps you and whether insurance covers it.
Radiation that uses protons instead of x-rays. It can reduce radiation damage to healthy tissue near the tumor.
Where. At proton centers. The National Association for Proton Therapy lists them on a map.
People whose tumor carries the protein the antibody targets (for example HER2 or Trop-2), shown by a test on the tumor. This is a short list of examples; others exist.
A cancer-seeking antibody linked to a cancer drug. The antibody finds the cancer cell and the drug goes inside it.
Enhertu (fam-trastuzumab deruxtecan-nxki): HER2-positive and HER2-low breast cancer, HER2-positive stomach cancer, and (after earlier treatment) HER2-positive solid tumors FDA
Padcev (enfortumab vedotin-ejfv): Bladder and urinary tract cancer (urothelial), with pembrolizumab FDA
Trodelvy (sacituzumab govitecan-hziy): Triple-negative breast cancer and hormone receptor-positive breast cancer FDA
Where. Prescribed by your cancer team and given by IV at most infusion centers.
Adults (and sometimes children) with cancers where the label lists the drug, often after a test on the tumor such as PD-L1, MSI-H or dMMR. This is a short list of examples; others exist (for example nivolumab).
Drugs that block checkpoint proteins, so the body's T cells can kill cancer cells better.
Keytruda (pembrolizumab): Many cancers; see the label. Also tumors with MSI-H, dMMR or high tumor mutational burden FDA
Jemperli (dostarlimab-gxly): Endometrial cancer and other solid tumors with dMMR FDA
Where. Prescribed by your cancer team and given by IV at most infusion centers.
Men with advanced prostate cancer (Provenge), people with melanoma in the skin or lymph nodes that cannot be removed by surgery (Imlygic), and people with early bladder cancer (BCG, put into the bladder). Ask about BCG if you have early bladder cancer.
Treatments that help the body's immune system recognize and destroy cancer cells. They treat cancer that is there; they do not prevent it.
Provenge (sipuleucel-T): Prostate cancer that has spread, still responds poorly to hormone treatment, with few or no symptoms FDA
Imlygic (talimogene laherparepvec, T-VEC): Melanoma in the skin and lymph nodes that came back after surgery, injected into the tumor FDA
Where. Prescribed and given by your cancer team. BCG is put into the bladder through a catheter.
People whose tumor test (biomarker test) shows one of these changes, usually after earlier treatment, whatever the cancer type. Ask whether your tumor has had broad gene testing.
Medicines that treat cancer based on its genetic or molecular features, no matter where in the body the cancer started. A test on your tumor tells you if one fits.
Vitrakvi (larotrectinib), NTRK gene fusion: Solid tumors with an NTRK gene fusion FDA
Keytruda (pembrolizumab), MSI-H or dMMR: Solid tumors with MSI-H or dMMR (a mismatch repair problem) that got worse on treatment FDA
Keytruda (pembrolizumab), TMB-high: Solid tumors with high tumor mutational burden (10 or more mutations per megabase) FDA
Jemperli (dostarlimab-gxly), dMMR: Advanced solid tumors with dMMR FDA
Tafinlar (dabrafenib) with Mekinist (trametinib), BRAF V600E: Solid tumors with a BRAF V600E mutation that got worse on treatment FDA
Retevmo (selpercatinib), RET fusion: Solid tumors with a RET gene fusion FDA
Where. Prescribed by your cancer team. Pills or IV, at home or an infusion center.
People with some blood cancers such as leukemia, lymphoma and myeloma, as decided by a transplant team. Not every patient with these cancers needs one.
You receive healthy blood-forming cells to replace ones destroyed by radiation or high-dose chemotherapy. The cells can come from you or from a donor.
Where. At transplant centers. Ask your oncologist for a referral.
What each is, from the National Cancer Institute's dictionary; approvals from the FDA; checked October 22, 2026. Approvals change often: your oncologist knows the latest.