# Mechanisms and Efficacy of Physical Activity to Reduce Cardiovascular Morbidity in Women with Breast Cancer

> **NIH HL K99** · VIRGINIA COMMONWEALTH UNIVERSITY · 2026 · $133,458

## Abstract

PROJECT SUMMARY
Reduced exercise capacity is the hallmark symptom of heart failure (HF) and the primary morbidity experienced
by women treated for breast cancer (BC). No established therapies exist to mitigate treatment-related declines
in exercise capacity and lower HF risk in BC survivors. We found that meeting physical activity (PA)
recommendations during the first 3 months of BC treatment was associated with preserved exercise capacity.
Yet, nearly 80% of women were inactive during treatment. While center-based aerobic PA and/or strength
training programs maintain exercise capacity during and after BC treatment, they are structured programs and
typically have low adherence due to time constraints, travel barriers, persistent fatigue, and compromised
immunity during BC treatment. Generalizability of these trials is limited as only the most motivated and physically
active individuals enroll. Thus, there is a need for feasible and practical PA programs to engage women with BC.
Recent work highlights the value of lifestyle PA to reduce HF risk by improving exercise capacity. Interventions
that target lifestyle PA, such as vigorous intermittent lifestyle physical activity (VILPA), can heighten access for
women with BC and attract time-limited and less physically active participants. VILPA is characterized by brief
bouts of vigorous PA completed during activities of daily living and is associated with a 48% reduction in
cardiovascular (CV) mortality compared to inactivity. Small amounts of VILPA (3 minutes/week) have shown
improvements in exercise capacity in non-cancer populations. However, the efficacy of a VILPA solution for
preserving exercise capacity in BC patients is unknown. Additionally, the mechanisms underlying PA benefits
are unknown, which creates a major gap for refining PA-based interventions and maximizing efficacy. In this K99
project, prior to testing VILPA in a clinical trial (R00), I will examine mechanisms underlying the association of
PA to prese

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 11258026
- **Project number:** 5K99HL173554-02
- **Recipient organization:** VIRGINIA COMMONWEALTH UNIVERSITY
- **Principal Investigator:** Moriah Paige Bellissimo
- **Activity code:** K99 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** HL
- **Fiscal year:** 2026
- **Award amount:** $133,458
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2025-01-10T00:00:00 → 2026-12-31T00:00:00

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/11258026

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 11258026, Mechanisms and Efficacy of Physical Activity to Reduce Cardiovascular Morbidity in Women with Breast Cancer (5K99HL173554-02). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-07-13 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/11258026. Licensed CC0.

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