3D printing technology becomes a 'lifesaver' for bone cancer patients

Instead of amputating limbs as before, many patients can now move normally after removing cancer and replacing the missing bone with 3D printed material.

At the seminar " Advances in Disease Detection, Diagnosis and Treatment " within the framework of VinFuture Science and Technology Week 2025, Prof. Dr. Tran Trung Dung - General Director of Vinmec Healthcare System, Chairman of the Vietnam Association of 3D Technology in Medicine, shared about 3D printing technology - a breakthrough in orthopedic surgery.

Prof. Dr. Tran Trung Dung presented a presentation on the topic "3D printing technology in hospitals: A breakthrough in orthopedic surgery".

According to Professor Dung, bone cancer, especially in complex locations such as the pelvis or femur, has long been associated with the "decision" of amputation because this is the solution to preserve the patient's life.

In recent years, world medicine has developed bone regeneration techniques using individually designed metal implants, but the cost is so high that most patients do not have access to them.

" 30% of patients who were indicated for amputation due to cancer refused surgery. But with 3D printing material technology, especially when the hospital established a 3D printing center, the hospital was proactive in producing replacement materials for the patient's missing bone, reducing product costs, making it suitable for treatment for many patients ," said Mr. Dung.

With a foundation of convergence between orthopedic surgery, biomedical technology and simulation techniques, the research team of Prof. Dr. Tran Trung Dung has mastered the technique of 3D printing personalized implants for the most complex bone cancer cases. They rely on CT and MRI imaging data of each patient, create a three-dimensional bone model and design an implant that is absolutely suitable for the patient's anatomy.

The surgeries to replace the pelvis and femur with 3D printed materials performed by Mr. Dung and his team are considered an important step forward, helping Vietnam affirm its international level in this field.

" With the current way of doing things, we have established a network between the group of doctors, the group of engineers and the research group. Vietnam's model is among the top in the world and has no competitors in the Southeast Asian region ," Mr. Dung affirmed.

Expect health insurance to cover 3D printed products

However, Professor Dung also pointed out that the biggest barrier to medical 3D printing is cost. In the US and Europe, the price of a 3D printed implant for bone regeneration surgery can be up to 30,000 - 60,000 USD. In Vietnam, the application of this technology must rely 100% on support from charity funds.

According to Mr. Dung, the cost of 3D implants depends on three factors: Design time, production scale and the readiness of the technology system. Vietnam is creating a new approach for all three of these factors.

Regarding design time, Mr. Dung said that thanks to artificial intelligence, the time has been significantly shortened.

" Previously, it took an engineer 2-7 days to design an implant based on complex image data. Now, with the support of AI, the time can be reduced to less than 2 hours, or even just 1 hour with basic details ," said Professor Dung.

Regarding production scale, Vinmec will deploy an inter-hospital connection model to design and print multiple implants at the same time. 3D printing has its own characteristics: Machine depreciation costs, materials and operating costs are almost unchanged whether printing 1 or 20 products in the same printing session.

When hospitals collaborate and send design files to 3D printing centers, the cost is divided into many products, helping to reduce the cost of each implant significantly.

Regarding the readiness of the technology system, Mr. Dung said that the design model located at the hospital helps increase efficiency and reduce operating costs. Doctors and engineers can still perform 100% of the design - simulation - testing process on-site without going through foreign companies with high service prices.

In addition, international cooperation with Japan and Korea also helps Vinmec access new technology, standardize processes and train specialized engineers, thereby gradually forming a sustainable, high-quality but reasonably priced 3D design system.

Prof. Dr. Tran Trung Dung.

However, Professor Tran Trung Dung said that the most important thing is to perfect the legal corridor.

" Currently, 3D technology experts from Vinmec, VinUni as well as universities in our network are invited by the Ministry of Health to contribute and develop standards for the production process of 3D technology products. When these regulations are passed, there will be a huge step forward in that health insurance can cover those 3D printed products. Currently, health insurance only covers industrial printed products ," said Mr. Dung.

Mr. Dung said that to achieve reasonable costs for 3D printed products in medicine requires the cooperation of many entities, from state agencies, professional departments to businesses, philanthropists, communities...

In early 2025, Nguyen Van Minh (7 years old, Thai Nguyen) had unusual leg pain. At first, his family thought it was due to too much exercise or calcium deficiency, so they ignored it. During the April 30 holiday, Minh's thighs were abnormally swollen. The examination results determined that he had stage IIB bone cancer, the tumor had spread throughout the entire femur.

Most hospitals recommended amputating the leg to save his life. However, Ms. Hien (Minh's mother) did not accept that option and continued to look for other opportunities. In a deadlock, she learned about limb preservation cases for bone cancer patients using personalized 3D printing technology at Vinmec and immediately took her son to Vinmec Times City International General Hospital.

After a consultation at the Multidisciplinary Bone Tumor Council chaired by Prof. Dr. Tran Trung Dung, doctors assessed that Minh still had a chance to keep his leg if he replaced the entire femur with personalized 3D printed material - a technique currently mastered by Vinmec. This technique helps Minh completely remove the tumor while preserving motor function.

At 9am on October 15, Minh was taken to the operating room at Vinmec. The surgery lasted several hours. The doctors had to treat the invasive tumor, preserve as much healthy tissue as possible, and precisely reconstruct the femur structure to ensure that the child could walk normally in the future. After four hours, the surgery was successful.

To date, Minh is the youngest patient in Vietnam to have his entire femur replaced using personalized 3D printing technology, following the miracle Vinmec performed with Minh Duc (8 years old) in May.

English

Source: https://vtcnews.vn/cong-nghe-in-3d-tro-thanh-phao-cuu-sinh-cho-benh-nhan-ung-thu-xuong-ar990834.html