Natalia Nafalska

Ms. Natalia Nafalska


Research Focus & Metrics

Academic Career Length

3Years (2024-Present)

(Calculated once Scilit publication data is synced: current year − year of first publication + 1)

Representative Publications

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12 July 2024 in Current Oncology
Verified
Journal Article
Open access
PDF file
MJMarcin Jezierzański
Marcin Jezierzański
NNNatalia Nafalska
Natalia Nafalska
MSMałgorzata Stopyra
Małgorzata Stopyra
TFTomasz Furgoł
Tomasz Furgoł
MMMichał Miciak
Michał Miciak
IGIwona Gisterek
Iwona Gisterek
Glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) is one of the most aggressive primary tumors of the central nervous system. It is associated with a very poor prognosis, with up to half of patients failing to survive the first year after diagnosis. It develops from glial tissue and belongs to the adult-type diffuse glioma group according to the WHO classification of 2021. Therapy for patients with GBM is currently based on surgical resection, radiation therapy, and chemotherapy, but despite many efforts, there has been minimal progress in tumor management. The most important chemotherapeutic agent in the treatment of this tumor is temozolomide (TMZ), a dacarbazine derivative that presents alkylating activity. It is usually administered to patients concurrently with radiation therapy after surgical resection of the tumor, which is defined as the Stupp protocol. Temozolomide demonstrates relatively good efficacy in therapy, but it could also present with several side effects. The resistance of GBM to the drug is currently the subject of work by specialists in the field of oncology, and its use in various regimens and patient groups may bring therapeutic benefits in the future. The aim of this review paper is to summarize the relevance of TMZ in the treatment of GBM based on recent reports.

7 September 2025 in Biomedicines
Verified
Journal Article
Open access
PDF file
JKJacek Kabut
Jacek Kabut
GSGrzegorz Stępień
Grzegorz Stępień
TFTomasz Furgoł
Tomasz Furgoł
MMMichał Miciak
Michał Miciak
NNNatalia Nafalska
Natalia Nafalska
IGIwona Gisterek
Iwona Gisterek
Malignant neoplasms, like non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), remain a major global health challenge. Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer-related deaths worldwide, with over two million new cases and 1.8 million deaths annually. NSCLC accounts for approximately 85% of cases, underscoring its substantial public health impact. Advances in molecular biology have driven the development of new therapies beyond traditional treatments. Among them, mRNA-based immunoadjuvant therapies, like cancer vaccines, have emerged as promising utilities in NSCLC by triggering targeted immune responses. The aim of this paper is to review ongoing and completed studies on mRNA vaccines in NSCLC. The efficacy of mRNA vaccines in NSCLC relies on the identification of immunogenic tumor-specific antigens, frequently derived from genomic profiling databases. Completed clinical trials have assessed the safety and potential benefit of selected mRNA vaccines—such as CV9202—administered alone or in combination with radiotherapy or tyrosine kinase inhibitors. Ongoing studies are exploring the therapeutic potential of mRNA-based approaches targeting defined molecular alterations in NSCLC, particularly in conjunction with Programmed Death-Ligand 1 (PD-L1) immune checkpoint inhibitors to enhance antitumor immune responses. mRNA vaccines have emerged as a promising therapeutic option for NSCLC, with the potential to enhance immune responses and limit tumor progression, as demonstrated in ongoing clinical trials. They offer the possibility of personalized treatment with relatively few side effects. However, larger and long-term studies are required to fully confirm their safety and efficacy. Future research should aim to identify the most effective antigens, enhance stability, and refine delivery strategies to improve efficacy and personalization, while also addressing immune suppression within the tumor microenvironment.

Verified
Journal Article
Open access
PDF file
JKJacek Kabut
Jacek Kabut
MSMałgorzata Stopyra
Małgorzata Stopyra
NNNatalia Nafalska
Natalia Nafalska
GSGrzegorz Stępień
Grzegorz Stępień
MMMichał Miciak
Michał Miciak
IGIwona Gisterek
Iwona Gisterek
Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) remains one of the most aggressive malignancies, with 5-year survival rates consistently below 5% despite advances in surgery, chemotherapy, and targeted therapy. Worldwide, PDAC remains highly lethal, with 458,918 new cases and 432,242 deaths in 2018—about a 94% mortality-to-incidence ratio. The limited therapeutic efficacy is largely attributed to the pronounced heterogeneity of the disease, late clinical presentation, and the strongly immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment. In recent years, mRNA-based vaccines encoding patient-specific neoantigens have emerged as a promising immunotherapeutic modality. By delivering tailored antigenic sequences, these vaccines are capable of eliciting potent cytotoxic T-cell responses against tumor-restricted epitopes, thereby enhancing tumor immunogenicity while minimizing off-target effects. This review summarizes the biological rationale underlying mRNA vaccination in PDAC, recent progress in preclinical and early clinical trials, and key obstacles related to antigen selection, delivery platforms, and the immunosuppressive stroma. The potential integration of neoantigen mRNA vaccines into multimodal therapeutic strategies, including immune checkpoint inhibition and chemotherapy, is also discussed, underscoring their prospective role in overcoming resistance mechanisms and improving clinical outcomes in PDAC. However, most current data come from early-phase trials, with long-term benefits yet unproven. Definitive conclusions on efficacy and survival await results from ongoing randomized studies expected by 2028–2029. Further progress in neoantigen identification, delivery systems, and combination strategies is crucial to fully harness mRNA vaccine potential in PDAC.