What is "porfimer sodium"

n. A photosensitizer used in photodynamic therapy and radiation therapy and for palliative treatment of certain lung carcinomata and obstructing esophageal cancer.

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.

Porfimer is Haematoporphyrin Derivative (HpD) (See PDT).