A 4-meter python named Jodie Foster at Chester Zoo has recovered fully after receiving electrochemotherapy, a cancer treatment adapted from human medicine, marking what veterinarians believe to be a world first for the species.
Staff at Chester Zoo successfully treated a reticulated python with electrochemotherapy after discovering a malignant tumour in the reptile's jawbone. The 4-meter snake, named Jodie Foster, is believed to be the first of its kind to undergo this form of cancer therapy, which is typically used in human patients. Veterinary officers became alarmed when the snake began consuming less food and displaying reduced activity levels, leading to diagnostic tests that revealed a fibrosarcoma in the jaw.
Initial surgical removal of the tumour proved insufficient when the growth returned and began damaging the surrounding jawbone, threatening the snake's ability to feed. Ian Ashpole, a veterinary officer at the zoo, explained that standard surgical intervention alone would likely not save the animal's life. The team partnered with cancer specialists from the University of Liverpool to adapt electrochemotherapy for use on the python, a procedure that had never been attempted on a snake before.
The surgical team faced practical challenges given the snake's size, requiring them to join two operating tables together and maintain body temperature using heated blankets and warm air during the 90-minute procedure. Ashpole removed the tumour and affected jawbone sections before administering electrochemotherapy to target any remaining cancerous cells. The recovery was notably swift, and months later the python has returned to normal feeding habits and behaviour.
Jose Alvarez Picornell from the University of Liverpool highlighted the collaborative nature of the breakthrough. The research team plans to formally publish details of the procedure to enable veterinary professionals globally to apply similar approaches to other animal patients requiring cancer treatment.
