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Porfimer Side Effects

The most commonly reported side effects of porfimer include off label use, cholangitis, and off label use, based on 339 FDA adverse event reports from 2004 to 2025.

Porfimer side effects

Percentages show how often each reaction appears relative to total reports for porfimer.

1
Off Label Use14.5%49
2
Cholangitis8.6%29
3
Off Label Use6.5%22
4
Oesophageal Stenosis4.4%15
5
Post Procedural Complication4.1%14
6
Oesophageal Stenosis3.8%13
7
Cholangitis3.8%13
8
Dyspnoea3.8%13
9
Deep Vein Thrombosis2.9%10
10
Hypotension2.9%10
11
Photosensitivity Reaction2.9%10
12
Swelling Face2.7%9
13
Hypotension2.7%9
14
Nausea2.7%9
15
Sepsis2.4%8

These are voluntary reports and do not establish that porfimer caused these reactions.

Report severity

92.3%Serious313 reports
29.8%Hospitalizations101 reports
22.1%Fatal75 reports

Seriousness is determined by the reporter, not by OpenClaim.

Porfimer drug interactions

Other drugs that appear in adverse event reports alongside porfimer. Drugs flagged as a suspected cause appear in the first column. Drugs taken at the same time but not suspected appear in the second.

Also suspected

1
Gemcitabine5.9%20
2
Cisplatin4.4%15
3
Paclitaxel0.9%3
4
Warfarin0.3%1
5
Irinotecan-hydrochloride0.3%1
6
Carboplatin0.3%1
7
Nitrogen0.3%1
8
Triamcinolone0.3%1
9
Atorvastatin-calcium0.3%1
10
Esomeprazole0.3%1
11
Omeprazole0.3%1
12
Nivolumab0.3%1
13
Tofacitinib0.3%1
14
Prednisone0.3%1

Taken alongside

1
Acetaminophen5.3%18
2
Aspirin4.4%15
3
Ondansetron3.8%13
4
Levofloxacin2.9%10
5
Omeprazole2.9%10
6
Metronidazole2.7%9
7
Tamsulosin-hydrochloride2.7%9
8
Oxycodone2.4%8
9
Lorazepam2.4%8
10
Fentanyl2.4%8
11
Folic-acid2.1%7
12
Ranitidine1.8%6
13
Albuterol1.8%6
14
Lisinopril1.8%6
15
Esomeprazole1.8%6

Co-occurrence in adverse event reports does not establish a drug interaction. Patients often take multiple medications, and these lists reflect prescribing patterns rather than causal relationships. Consult a healthcare provider about potential drug interactions.

Who reports porfimer side effects

19.8% of porfimer adverse event reports involve female patients and 36.6% involve male patients. The largest age group is elderly at 53%. These figures reflect who reports side effects, not underlying risk.

Sex

Female19.8%
Male36.6%
Unknown43.7%

Age group

< 20.0%
2–110.0%
12–170.6%
18–6446.2%
65+53.2%

What is porfimer used for

Conditions and purposes for which patients were taking porfimer when the adverse event was reported.

AdenocarcinomaAdenosquamous Cell Lung CancerAlopecia ScarringBarrett's OesophagusBarrett^s OesophagusBasal Cell CarcinomaBile Duct CancerBiliary AdenomaBiliary NeoplasmBladder CancerBrain NeoplasmBronchial CarcinomaBile Duct CancerCarcinoid TumourCarcinoma

Showing 15 of 85 indications

Porfimer brand names and reporting trend

Porfimer is sold under the brand name Photofrin.

Brand names

Photofrin28

Quarterly reports (20042025)

20052010201520202025

An upward trend reflects increased FAERS reporting overall, not necessarily increased risk.

Taking porfimer with another medication?

Ask OpenClaim about your specific drug combination. Get a sourced report using FDA data, drug labels, and medical literature.