# The Effects of Exercise on Chemotherapy-Induced Peripheral Neuropathy, Inflammation, and Interoceptive Brain Circuitry

> **NIH NIH K07** · UNIVERSITY OF ROCHESTER · 2020 · $169,218

## Abstract

PROJECT SUMMARY
Overview. Chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy (CIPN) is a high-priority research area for NCI given
its high prevalence, severity, and lack of established treatments. Patients with CIPN suffer from numbness and
neuropathic pain in their hands and feet, especially from cold stimulation. Although drugs have not proven
successful for treating CIPN, our preliminary data suggest that 6 weeks of exercise during chemotherapy
reduces patient-reported CIPN symptoms (numbness/tingling). Exercise may be effective due to its widespread
effects on multiple pathways involved in the etiology of CIPN, including inflammation and the brain. Our novel
theoretical framework proposes that chemotherapy causes CIPN symptoms partly via chronic inflammation
and by disrupting the brain’s processing of sensations from the body (interoception). If our theory is correct,
future interventions can be tailored to normalize inflammation and interoception as part of a comprehensive
treatment plan for CIPN. This application uses a 12-week phase II randomized clinical trial of exercise vs.
nutrition education (control) to assess the preliminary efficacy of exercise on CIPN.
Career Development Plan. Dr. Kleckner has experience studying interoceptive brain circuitry, and has
recently begun studying cancer control and CIPN. To become an independent investigator studying and using
exercise to ameliorate toxicities from cancer treatment, such as CIPN, he needs training in (1) designing and
conducting clinical trials with cancer patients, (2) designing and conducting behavioral interventions,
specifically exercise, (3) studying and treating CIPN and its etiology, specifically inflammation and the brain,
and (4) integrating into oncology and symptom management as an independent investigator. Dr. Kleckner’s
mentoring team has expertise in these areas and the environment at URMC is world-class for cancer control.
Research Plan. Eighty women with breast cancer (non-metastatic, about to receive taxane chemotherapy, and
no radiation or surgery during the trial) will be randomly assigned to 12 weeks of: Arm 1, standard care plus
exercise or Arm 2: standard care plus nutrition education (control). The established exercise intervention
(EXCAP©®), developed by Dr. Mustian (mentor), involves face-to-face instruction and a prescription for an at-
home progressive walking and resistance exercise program. Nutrition education (control) involves equal time
and attention as the exercise arm, but covers nutrition for cancer patients and lacks an exercise prescription.
Measures include patient-reported CIPN symptoms, and clinical assessments of CIPN, inflammation, and
interoception at pre-intervention, post-intervention, and 3 months post-intervention.
Impact. Dr. Kleckner will obtain critical training required to become an independent researcher and will have
data to support a future R01 grant studying CIPN. This work will provide valuable insight into the effects of
exercise on CIP...

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 9964701
- **Project number:** 5K07CA221931-03
- **Recipient organization:** UNIVERSITY OF ROCHESTER
- **Principal Investigator:** Ian Robert Kleckner
- **Activity code:** K07 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2020
- **Award amount:** $169,218
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2018-07-06 → 2023-06-30

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/9964701

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 9964701, The Effects of Exercise on Chemotherapy-Induced Peripheral Neuropathy, Inflammation, and Interoceptive Brain Circuitry (5K07CA221931-03). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-24 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/9964701. Licensed CC0.

---

*[NIH grants dataset](/datasets/nih-grants) · CC0 1.0*