3D-printed surgical models improve tumor margins in head and neck operations

Patient-specific 3D-printed models can measurably support surgical planning for head and neck tumors with bone invasion. A team at the Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center (OSUCCC – James) reports that complete tumor removal was achieved in 92% of cases using individually printed anatomical models. What matters is not only removing the tumor, but also a tissue-sparing approach to preserve function and quality of life.

“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,” said Kyle VanKoevering, MD, an otolaryngologist (head and neck surgeon) at the OSUCCC – James and medical director of the M4 Lab (Medical Modeling, Materials and Manufacturing Lab) within the Ohio State College of Engineering. “This 3D modeling being completely personalized to each patient is really helping improve the precision in the operating room.”

In the study, outcomes from 68 patients with bone-invasive head and neck carcinomas were compared. Thirty-seven procedures were performed with an in-house 3D model as an intraoperative visualization and planning tool, and 31 without this support. The cohort was predominantly male; 94.6% were current or former tobacco users. The group with the 3D model more often had negative resection margins—meaning no tumor cells were found in the surrounding tissue.

“This model is especially critical in cancers that have invaded bone, because tumor boundaries are often less visible or palpable. 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,” VanKoevering explained.

“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,” said Marquardt, who worked on this project as part of a focused medical school research year through the Pelotonia Scholars Program.

The results appear in the September 2025 issue of Oral Oncology and underscore that 3D printing is increasingly being used in clinical practice as a precise, data-driven planning tool.

“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,” said Marquardt.