Exercise and Nutrition Interventions During Chemotherapy K07

The Effects of Exercise and Nutrition Interventions on Chemotherapy-induced Peripheral Neuropathy and Interoceptive Brain Circuitry

Chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy (CIPN) is a highly prevalent and severe side-effect of taxane chemotherapy, often used to treat breast cancer. Unfortunately there are very limited treatments for CIPN. This is a phase II randomized controlled trial to test the preliminary efficacy of exercise vs. nutrition education on CIPN, to systematically investigate the potential roles of inflammation and interoception, and to obtain data with a more accurate effect size to inform a future study.

Inclusion criteria (subjects must…)

1. Be female
2. Have breast cancer
3. Be scheduled to receive taxane chemotherapy without other neurotoxic chemotherapy (platinums, vinca alkaloids, bortezomib, thalidomide)
4. Have at least six months life expectancy according to the patient's oncologist or designee
5. Be able to read English
6. Be at least 18 years old (no upper limit on age)
7. Provide written informed consent

Exclusion criteria (subjects must not…)

1. Be in the active or maintenance stage of exercise behavior (i.e., subjects must be sedentary)
2. Have physical limitations (e.g., cardiorespiratory, orthopedic, central nervous system) that contraindicate participation in maximal physiological fitness testing and a low/moderate intensity home-based walking and progressive resistance exercise program.

Additional exclusion criteria only for patients performing the MRI scanning (40 of 80 enrolled subjects)

1. Subjects must not have contraindications for MRI scanning (pacemaker, metal implants, pregnancy, chest expander from breast reconstruction, etc.-note that most port-a-caths are safe for MRI scanning)