Living Well Beyond Cancer: How to Function When You Can’t Feel: Understanding Peripheral Neuropathy 

Chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy (CIPN) is a major challenge with cancer treatments using potentially neurotoxic chemotherapy to improve cancer cure and survival. Acute CIPN occurs during chemotherapy, sometimes requiring dose reduction or cessation, impacting on survival. Around 30% of patients will still have CIPN a year, or more, after finishing chemotherapy.

Whilst in many cases, acute CIPN will resolve after finishing chemotherapy, in a number of cases, it will persist, resulting in chronic symptoms, months, or even years later. Luckily, there are treatments and programs to help you battle those symptoms.

In this session, Karyn will discuss:

• How to understand CIPN
• The common symptoms of CIPN
• How cancer rehab can help manage CIPN
• Recognizing and managing the symptoms

After attendance, participants will be able to recognize the symptoms of CIPN relay that information to their cancer care team.

Speaker: Karyn Holtz, PT MHS CLT

ReVital Cancer Rehabilitation Center Manager at RUSH

Karyn Holtz brings a high level of energy and personality to the patients she treats. Karyn enjoys treating patients of all kinds and is experienced in all orthopedic conditions.  Karyn has been lymphedema certified since 2011 and treats both upper and lower extremity conditions. She is also certified in custom garment fabrication. In addition, Karyn also has experience in oncology rehabilitation.