Indicated in the treatment of esophageal cancer.
Cellular damage caused by porfimer is a consequence of the propagation of radical reactions. Radical initiation may occur after porfimer absorbs light to form a porphyrin excited state. Spin transfer from porfimer to molecular oxygen may then generate singlet oxygen. Subsequent radical reactions can form superoxide and hydroxyl radicals. Tumor death also occurs through ischemic necrosis secondary to vascular occlusion that appears to be partly mediated by thromboxane A2 release.
10-452 hours
* 0.49 ± 0.28 L/kg [2 mg/kg dose of porfimer sodium to 4 male cancer patients]
* Renal cl=199.7 +/- 56.9 mL/min [Healthy subjects receiving a single 300-mg oral dose]