3D printing could become a big part of head and neck cancer care, helping surgeons plan for procedures and improving quality of life for patients. Head and neck cancer is a term that refers to a group of conditions, including cancers of the throat, mouth, thyroid and more. Patients often undergo surgeries as parts of their treatment plans, but their tumors’ locations can sometimes complicate the procedures, as well as recovery. “If you’re removing a large tumor — a jaw tumor, for example — in the operating room, you can only see the patient from one angle, and you’re looking through tissue,” says Kyle VanKoevering, MD, an otolaryngologist (head and neck surgeon) at The Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center – James Cancer Hospital and Solove Research Institute (OSUCCC – James). Head and neck cancer surgeries can also result in significant physical impacts to patients, affecting their quality of life during and after treatment. To take on these challenges while continuing to prioritize complete tumor removal, VanKoevering and his colleagues are turning to tech — specifically, 3D modeling and printing — to improve surgical outcomes and post-operative reconstruction. “3D printing can give us tangible tools to use in the operating room,” he says. “The precision of what we take out is critical to ensure we get the whole tumor, but not so much that we're devastating the patient's function in the long term and taking out things that don't need to be removed.” More about head and neck cancer: Learn all about risks, symptoms and treatment options at The Ohio State University. How 3D printing helps head and neck cancer surgeons “As a surgeon, I’ve trained over the years to take all of these two-dimensional pictures and mentally create a 3D roadmap in my head about where all of this anatomy and the tumor are located,” says VanKoevering, the medical director of the M4 Lab (Medical Modeling, Materials and Manufacturing Lab) within The Ohio State University College of Engineering. Along with a team of fellow experts, VanKoevering moved those models from his mind to the lab through research that compared the surgical outcomes of 68 patients with bone-invading head and neck cancers treated at the OSUCCC – James. During the study, 3D models were created using images from 37 of the participating patients and utilized before and during their surgeries by OSUCCC – James teams. The remaining 31 surgeries were conducted without the 3D printed models. The impact was significant, with surgeries involving the patient-specific 3D models resulting in complete tumor removal in 92% of the procedures, compared to 74% for operations conducted without the visual guides. “This 3D modeling being completely personalized to each patient is really helping improve the precision in the operating room,” VanKoevering says. The technology is particularly beneficial for patients with cancers that are present in the bones, like those involved in the study. “This model is especially critical in cancers that have invaded bone, because tumor boundaries are often less visible or palpable,” VanKoevering explains. “Our 3D models are built based on the patient’s actual tumor imaging, so it gives us a much better visual map at the patient’s bedside for removing the cancer as completely as possible while also sparing important structures and tissue to maintain function after surgery.” Oncology innovation at Ohio State: OSUCCC – James cancer experts are breaking new ground in immunotherapy, robotics, genetics and more. How 3D printing can improve cancer patients’ quality of life Innovations in head and neck cancer surgery have saved countless lives, but the nature of the conditions — notably the tumors’ locations — often results in significant impacts to patients’ quality of life. So, as part of the OSUCCC – James’ commitment to comprehensive cancer care and research, the study team also looked into possible cancer-control benefits of 3D-printed models of patients’ anatomies. The added focus was vital given the complexities of surgeries that affect the head and neck, which include delicate structures with major implications for speech, chewing, swallowing and more. The study is the first to evaluate the potential of 3D modeling to improve cancer control in the operating room. “This really sets the stage for larger studies looking at how 3D modeling can enhance surgery planning and precision, not just in the field of head and neck cancer surgery but in other areas that involve bone and soft tissue, like orthopedics,” says Matthew Marquardt, one of the study’s corresponding authors and a student at The Ohio State University College of Medicine. “Long term, our hope is that this work will enable other surgeons to use this technology across the country to help improve people's lives and improve cancer outcomes.” More about The James at Ohio State: Our multidisciplinary oncology experts work every day to create a cancer-free world through world-class care and research.