Customized, 3D Printed Breast Prostheses Promise Affordability and Comfort

Aside from skin cancers, breast cancer is the most common type of cancer among women in the United States. In 2025 alone, an estimated 42,170 women are expected to die from the disease. However, ongoing advances in screening, prevention, and treatment continue to offer hope for reducing this number over time. In response to this challenge, researchers at the Carle Illinois College of Medicine—part of the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign—are utilizing cutting-edge technology to support women who have undergone a mastectomy.

A mastectomy is a surgical procedure that removes one or both breasts to treat or prevent cancer. Using advanced scanning and 3D printing techniques, the team is developing personalized breast prostheses tailored to each patient’s unique anatomy. Their goal is to enable these custom prostheses to be produced directly in a doctor’s office, making them more accessible, faster to obtain, and more affordable than current options.

3D Printed Breast Prostheses for Accessibility and Comfort

After a mastectomy, some women wear prostheses to restore the shape of the breast under their clothes. These prostheses are often very expensive, custom-made ones. Dr. Victor Stams, a plastic surgeon and professor at CI MED, explains that some patients forgo prostheses because they lack insurance, find the costs too high or are simply unaware of their options. Together with Rand Kittani, an internal medicine student, they are developing a method to manufacture 3D printed prostheses directly on site at a lower cost.