Use of certain antibiotics, steroids and proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) at the start of immunotherapy was associated with shorter survival in patients with advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), according to a nationwide cohort study from France published Sept. 10, 2025, in JAMA Network Open .

Immunotherapy drugs such as Keytruda (pembrolizumab) have transformed the outlook for people with advanced NSCLC, both as stand-alone treatment and in combination with chemotherapy. However, questions remain about how other medications may influence their effectiveness. Earlier research has raised concerns that certain common medications might reduce the benefits of immunotherapy — for example, corticosteroids (e.g., prednisone) because they suppress the immune system, and antibiotics or prot

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