Key Facts Israeli surgeons replaced a cancer patient’s sternum and portions of her ribs with a fully customized 3D-printed chest-wall implant. The operation was performed at Rabin Medical Center’s Beilinson Hospital after doctors discovered an exceptionally rare cancer spreading across the patient’s sternum, or breastbone. The structure was also designed to allow the patient’s tissue to gradually grow into and integrate with the implant. The breakthrough reflects Israel’s growing role in personalized medicine, where implants and surgical plans are increasingly tailored to the exact anatomy of individual patients. Beilinson Hospital is also preparing a customized 3D-printed pelvic implant for a teenage cancer patient in an effort to remove an aggressive tumor while potentially avoiding amputation.