An American cancer survivor says she was asked to remove her prosthetic breast and show it to airport security during an "enhanced" pat-down, a report on US television said.

Cathy Bossi, a flight attendant for three decades, told WBTV television in Charlotte, North Carolina, that a Transportation Security Administration (TSA) agent asked her to go through a full-body scanner and she was then sent to be patted down.

Airport security staff in the US are randomly selecting passengers and airline crew members to pass through new scanners being deployed at airports as part of stepped-up security measures.

They are supposed to be given an "enhanced" pat-down, which includes a frisk of their genitals, if they refuse to go through the X-ray machines or if the scanner shows something suspicious.

Ms Bossi said the TSA agent who patted her down "put her full hand on my breast and said, 'What's this?'

"I said, 'It's a prosthesis because I have breast cancer.' And she said, 'Well, you'll have to show me that.'

"I did not take the name of the person at the time because it was just so horrific of an experience that it just blew my mind. I couldn't believe someone had done that to me."

Ms Bossi reportedly sought legal advice after the incident. It was unclear if she removed her prosthetic breast to show the TSA agent.

The TSA told WBTV in an email that its agents are "allowed to ask to see and touch prosthetics" but are not allowed to remove them.

The TSA followed up with another message sent to WBTV, saying it would look into Ms Bossi's case.

- AFP