Jerzy Blonski

Publications (2)4.98 Total impact

• Article: Evaluation of circulating endothelial cells as noninvasive marker of angiogenesis in patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia.

  Joanna Gora-Tybor, Krzysztof Jamroziak, Anna Szmigielska-Kaplon, Anna Krawczynska, Ewa Lech-Maranda, Agnieszka Wierzbowska, Dorota Jesionek-Kupnicka, Jerzy Z Blonski, Tadeusz Robak
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  ABSTRACT: An increased angiogenesis has been documented in bone marrow and lymph nodes of patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL). There is accumulating evidence that circulating endothelial cells (CECs) play an important role in angiogenesis. The aim of our study was to compare the number of CECs in peripheral blood of CLL patients and healthy donors and to correlate these numbers with bone marrow microvessel density (MVD) and known prognostic factors in CLL. Proportions of resting CECs (rCECs), activated CECs (aCECs), apoptotic CECs (apoCECs) and circulating precursor endothelial cells (CPECs) were estimated by flow cytometry in 104 untreated CLL patients and 29 healthy blood donors. The MVD was analysed in the bone marrow biopsy in 21 CLL patients and 11 controls using the 'hot spot analysis' of vessels' density (x200 HPS). We found significantly higher numbers of CPECs, rCECs, aCECs and apoCECs in CLL patients than in healthy controls (p < 0.001 for all comparisons). Furthermore, the rCECs number was higher in advanced versus low clinical stage CLL (median 17.5 cells/microL vs. 13.5 cells/microL, p = 0.05). The MVD was significantly higher in the bone marrow of CLL patients when compared with controls (p = 0.016). However, we did not find any correlation between MVD and different CECs populations. In conclusion, the number of CECs is increased in CLL and correlates with stage of the disease, but does not seem to directly reflect the intensity of neovascularisaton in the bone marrow.
  Leukemia & lymphoma 01/2009; 50(1):62-7. · 2.40 Impact Factor
• Article: Cladribine combined with cyclophosphamide and mitoxantrone is an active salvage therapy in advanced non-Hodgkin's lymphoma.

  Tadeusz Robak, Ewa Lech-Maranda, Agnieszka Janus, Jerzy Blonski, Agnieszka Wierzbowska, Joanna Gora-Tybor
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  ABSTRACT: The aim of this study was to determine the feasibility, efficacy and toxicity of the combined therapy consisting of cladribine (2-CdA), mitoxantrone and cyclophosphamide (CMC regimen) in patients with refractory or relapsed non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL). Thirty six patients, 14 with mantle cell lymphoma (MCL), 10 with diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL), 5 with follicular lymphoma (FL), 3 with small lymphocytic lymphoma (SLL), and 4 with T-cell lymphoma were enrolled to the study. The CMC protocol consisted of 2-CdA at a dose of 0.12 mg/kg in a 2-hour infusion on days 1 through 3, mitoxantrone 10 mg/m(2) i.v. on day 1 and cyclophosphamide 650 mg/m(2) i.v. on day 1. The CMC courses were repeated at intervals of 4 weeks. Thirty three patients were available for evaluation of response. Overall response rate (OR) was 58% (95% CI, 41--75%). Seven patients (21%; 95% CI, 7--35%) achieved a complete response (CR) and 12 patients (36%; 95% CI, 20--52%) achieved a partial response (PR). Seven of 19 patients with CR/PR are still in remission with a median follow-up of 3 months (range, 2-17 months). The median failure-free survival (FFS) was 5 months (range, 2-17 months). The median overall survival (OS) for the entire group was 9 months (range, 0.1-7 months). There was a significant difference in OS between responders and nonresponders after CMC therapy (log rank test, P = 0.015). When different disease status before CMC treatment was considered, a trend toward longer survival of recurrent patients was observed (log rank test, P = 0.08). Grade 3-4 neutropenia developed in 14 (39%) patients, and 16 episodes (15%) of grade 3-4 infections were observed. Grade 3-4 thrombocytopenia or anemia was seen in 9 patients (25%) and 10 patients (28%), respectively. The results of our study show that the CMC regimen is effective salvage therapy with acceptable toxicity in heavily pretreated patients with NHL including MCL and DLBCL.
  Leukemia and Lymphoma 07/2007; 48(6):1092-101. · 2.58 Impact Factor