October in Pink: 3D Printing’s Role in Healing and Hope

For example, a 2025 study from researchers in Spain’s Institute for Bioengineering of Catalonia (IBEC) and the Universidade de Santiago de Compostela built a bioprinted breast cancer model using a bioink derived from decellularised mammary tissue. The model included a cancer-cell core surrounded by mesenchymal stem cells, replicating tumour architecture and behavior more closely than traditional cultures. This kind of model allows scientists to test drug responses and invasion behaviours in a way far closer to the body than 2D plates or simple spheroids.

Fabrication and characterization of bioprinted TDM-based hydrogels. Image courtesy of the Institute for Bioengineering of Catalonia.

In Ireland, researchers at the Royal College of Surgeons took a different approach, using bioprinting to study one of the toughest challenges in breast cancer: treatment resistance. Their team built tiny models of tumors that no longer respond to hormone therapy, a common problem for patients with advanced disease. By printing these resistant tumors and exposing them to different hormones and drugs, the scientists discovered that the cells behaved much more like real cancer than they do in flat lab dishes. The work could help explain why some therapies stop working over time and point to new ways to overcome that resistance.

Even in space, cancer research is taking on new dimensions. A company called MicroQuin grew 3D clusters of breast and prostate cancer cells aboard the International Space Station (ISS). Without gravity, cells grow in round, realistic shapes, revealing how they survive and spread. This work helped MicroQuin identify a key protein (TMBIM6) that could become a new drug target for future therapies.

MicroQuin founder and CSO Scott Robinson, holding a specialized 12-well tissue culture plate containing breast cancer cells grown on the ISS. Image courtesy of MicroQuin/Scott Robinson.

Where it stands: Most of this work is still happening in the lab, but these 3D printed models are quickly becoming standard tools for studying breast cancer, helping scientists test therapies more realistically and speed up the path to better treatments.

3D Printed Prostheses and Scaffolds: Helping Survivors Heal

After a mastectomy, many survivors face the emotional and physical challenge of breast reconstruction. For years, options were limited and often uncomfortable. Now, 3D printing is bringing new solutions that are more natural, personalized, and empowering.

At the Carle Illinois College of Medicine in the U.S., researchers are using 3D scanning and printing to make affordable, custom-fit breast prostheses. Instead of buying a one-size-fits-all product, patients can now get soft, perfectly shaped prosthetics made right in the doctor’s office.

Rand Kittani and Dr. Victor Stams are prototyping a 3D printed breast prosthesis. Image courtesy of Michael Chen.

In Germany, BellaSeno is leading a clinical trial for 3D printed, bioresorbable breast scaffolds made from a safe polymer called polycaprolactone (PCL). These scaffolds give the body a matrix to regrow natural tissue. Over time, the material dissolves, leaving only the patient’s own cells behind. Early trials show promising results: no infections, no implant failures, and lasting shape and volume.

Breast implant surgery. Image courtesy of BellaSeno.

In China, researchers have taken a similar idea a step further, designing a 3D printed PCL-based scaffold enhanced with cobalt orthosilicate (CoSi). The structure not only supports tissue regeneration but also uses gentle infrared light to target and destroy remaining tumor cells, combining reconstruction and therapy in a single device. It’s still in the early research phase, but it reflects how far scaffold science has advanced since those first biocompatible implants.

Each 3D printed prosthesis or implant is designed to fit the patient’s body as closely as possible, offering comfort and symmetry that older methods can’t always achieve. The custom fit also helps reduce some of the complications seen with silicone implants. And because new materials and printers are faster and easier to use, reconstruction is becoming safer, simpler, and more affordable for many women.

Where it stands: BellaSeno’s implants are already in clinical trials, and other medical centers are developing their own low-cost solutions. For many women, 3D printing could soon mean a better recovery, both physically and emotionally.

Building Living Tissue: The Next Step in Reconstruction

The next frontier goes beyond prosthetics or scaffolds; it’s more about creating living tissue that can be implanted and integrated with the body.

At Harvard’s Wyss Institute, researcher Luba Perry and her team are developing a new kind of breast reconstruction through their spinout, ReConstruct Bio. Their goal is to bioprint living, vascularized fat tissue, tissue that can connect to a patient’s own blood supply and grow as part of the body. The process uses the SWIFT (Sacrificial Writing Into Functional Tissue) method, which lets them print tiny channels inside living cell structures. Once implanted, these channels can link to blood vessels, keeping the tissue alive.

When I visited Perry’s lab at the Wyss Institute last year, she described how the approach could change what reconstruction means for breast cancer survivors, moving from inserting implants to regrowing natural tissue using a patient’s own cells. So far, animal studies have shown that these bioprinted tissues stay alive and well after being implanted, a huge step toward future human trials. If successful, this approach could one day make it possible to “regrow” a patient’s own breast tissue using her own cells.

ReConstruct founder and CEO Luba Perry with Gozde Basara and Daniel Ludwiszewski at the Wyss Institute’s lab. Image courtesy of 3DPrint.com.

In France, Lattice Medical is taking a similar tissue-engineering approach with its 3D printed, bioresorbable implant called MATTISSE. Designed specifically for women who have undergone a mastectomy, the implant acts as a temporary scaffold filled with the patient’s own fat. Over time, the structure dissolves, leaving only regenerated tissue behind. Early clinical work is already underway in France and Spain to offer a fully natural, implant-free option for breast cancer reconstruction.

Meanwhile, CollPlant Biotechnologies and Stratasys are pushing the concept of regenerative breast implants even further. Their 3D printed implants use a bioink made from recombinant human collagen, a plant-derived version of human collagen that supports tissue growth and blood-vessel formation. In 2025, the partners reported promising results from animal studies showing vascularization and tissue integration in full-scale implants, developed specifically for post-mastectomy reconstruction.

Where it stands: Most of these efforts remain in the preclinical stage, but they’re advancing steadily toward first-in-human trials. Together, they point to a future where breast reconstruction could rely less on synthetic implants and more on the body’s ability to rebuild itself.

3D printed breast implant made with CollPlant’s rhCollagen-based bioinks on a Stratasys Origin printer. Image courtesy of Business Wire.

Surviving breast cancer is the most important victory, but what comes after matters too. Recovery, comfort, and feeling whole again are all part of the journey. These 3D printing advances show that technology can do more than fight disease; it can help people recover, rebuild, and move forward. Every woman’s body is different, and 3D printing makes it possible to shape treatments and reconstructions to fit each person’s needs. The result is care that feels more personal and precise. Better prostheses and implants also mean greater comfort and confidence, helping women feel more like themselves again after surgery. And behind all of it is a remarkable mix of science and compassion. From space-based research to the creation of living tissue, these advances show how engineering and empathy can come together to change what recovery looks like.

Progress in breast cancer care is measured in more than survival. It’s in the ideas, the technologies, and the people working to make recovery much better. 3D printing is one of those forces, adding new tools, new options, and a bit more comfort to the recovery journey.

Featured image courtesy of MicroQuin/Scott Robinson