Use of 3D printing in the design and manufacture of bespoke prosthesis for cancer patients

EmmaJude Lyons, PhD student

The aim of this research is to use 3D printing to develop solutions to support female patients with cancer. EmmaJude and her team will investigate the device application for Breast cancer patients by printing bespoke breast prosthesis.

On average 3,363 women are diagnosed with breast cancer in Ireland every year. It is the most commonly diagnosed invasive cancer in women (excluding non-melanoma skin cancer). The five year survival rate for breast cancer in women is 88% (1).

Most breast cancers are treated with a combination of several treatment options such as surgery, radiotherapy, hormone therapy, chemotherapy and/or immunotherapy. 85% of patients have surgical treatment. The breast prosthesis, developed from this research will be individually suited to each patient. They can be used by patients post breast cancer surgery.

At the end of 2020 there were 47,209 people in Ireland that had survived breast cancer (1).

(1) Figures are the average of the annual figures from 2018-2020. National Cancer Registry Ireland (2022) Cancer in Ireland 1994-2020: Annual statistical report of the National Cancer Registry. NCRI, Cork, Ireland.

 

 

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Start year
2021
End year
2025
Principal Investigator
Professor Leonard O'Sullivan
Researcher
EmmaJude Lyons
Institute
University of Limerick
Grant
Irish Research Council Enterprise Partnership Scheme with Breakthrough as the partner
Linked To Breakthrough Priorities
1, 3, 6

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