Porfimer sodium
Encyclopedia
Porfimer sodium, sold as Photofrin, is a photosensitizer used in photodynamic therapy
and radiation therapy
and for palliative treatment
of obstructing endobronchial non-small cell lung carcinoma and obstructing esophageal cancer
.
Porfimer is a mixture of oligomers formed by ether and ester linkages of up to eight porphyrin
units. In practice, a red light source emitting at 630 nm is used to excite the Porfimer oligomers.
.
It was approved in Japan in 1994 (for early stage lung cancer?).
It was approved by the U.S. FDA in December 1995 esophageal cancer
, and in 1998, it was approved for the treatment of early non-small cell lung cancer.
In August 2003 the FDA approved its use for Barrett's esophagus
.
Photodynamic therapy
Photodynamic therapy is used clinically to treat a wide range of medical conditions, including malignant cancers, and is recognised as a treatment strategy which is both minimally invasive and minimally toxic...
and radiation therapy
Radiation therapy
Radiation therapy , radiation oncology, or radiotherapy , sometimes abbreviated to XRT or DXT, is the medical use of ionizing radiation, generally as part of cancer treatment to control malignant cells.Radiation therapy is commonly applied to the cancerous tumor because of its ability to control...
and for palliative treatment
Palliative care
Palliative care is a specialized area of healthcare that focuses on relieving and preventing the suffering of patients...
of obstructing endobronchial non-small cell lung carcinoma and obstructing esophageal cancer
Esophageal cancer
Esophageal cancer is malignancy of the esophagus. There are various subtypes, primarily squamous cell cancer and adenocarcinoma . Squamous cell cancer arises from the cells that line the upper part of the esophagus...
.
Porfimer is a mixture of oligomers formed by ether and ester linkages of up to eight porphyrin
Porphyrin
Porphyrins are a group of organic compounds, many naturally occurring. One of the best-known porphyrins is heme, the pigment in red blood cells; heme is a cofactor of the protein hemoglobin. Porphyrins are heterocyclic macrocycles composed of four modified pyrrole subunits interconnected at...
units. In practice, a red light source emitting at 630 nm is used to excite the Porfimer oligomers.
Approvals and indications
It was approved in Canada in 1993 for the treatment of bladder cancerBladder cancer
Bladder cancer is any of several types of malignant growths of the urinary bladder. It is a disease in which abnormal cells multiply without control in the bladder. The bladder is a hollow, muscular organ that stores urine; it is located in the pelvis...
.
It was approved in Japan in 1994 (for early stage lung cancer?).
It was approved by the U.S. FDA in December 1995 esophageal cancer
Esophageal cancer
Esophageal cancer is malignancy of the esophagus. There are various subtypes, primarily squamous cell cancer and adenocarcinoma . Squamous cell cancer arises from the cells that line the upper part of the esophagus...
, and in 1998, it was approved for the treatment of early non-small cell lung cancer.
In August 2003 the FDA approved its use for Barrett's esophagus
Barrett's esophagus
Barrett's esophagus refers to an abnormal change in the cells of the inferior portion of the esophagus. A positive diagnosis generally requires observing specific macroscopic and microscopic changes...
.