A 4.5-meter-long python at Chester Zoo in the UK has become the first snake in the world to undergo an innovative cancer therapy typically used in human medicine. Named Jodie Foster — a 23-year-old, 50-kilogram reticulated python — she resides at Chester Zoo in northwest England. Her keepers grew concerned when she began eating less and spending unusually long periods motionless.
Diagnosis and Surgical Intervention
Diagnostic tests revealed she had developed fibrosarcoma, a malignant tumor on her jawbone. Veterinarians successfully removed the mass surgically, but it recurred — aggressively invading the jaw bone itself. With her life at risk and conventional options limited, the veterinary team opted for electrochemotherapy: a cutting-edge technique that combines chemotherapy with precisely controlled electric pulses. These pulses temporarily increase the permeability of cancer cell membranes, allowing the drug to penetrate more effectively and destroy residual malignant cells.
A Historic Procedure
Jodie’s size presented logistical challenges — she was too large for a standard surgical table. To accommodate her, veterinarians joined two tables to create a surface roughly the size of a double bed. She was carefully anesthetized in her enclosure before being moved to the zoo’s on-site veterinary hospital. The full procedure lasted about 90 minutes: the tumor and part of the affected jawbone were excised, followed by targeted electrochemotherapy to eliminate any remaining cancerous tissue.
Recovery and Broader Implications
Months after treatment, Jodie is eating normally again and has regained her characteristic alertness and vigor, according to her caretakers. Recent follow-up examinations showed no signs of cancer recurrence. Dr. Aspol, the lead veterinarian, confirmed this marks the first known application of electrochemotherapy in a snake. Dr. José Álvarez Picornell from the University of Liverpool’s Small Animal Clinical Science department described the approach as an emerging therapeutic strategy — one whose success here hinged on interdisciplinary collaboration between oncologists, zoological veterinarians, and biomedical specialists.
The case not only saved Jodie’s life but also offers valuable insights for treating rare cancers in reptiles — a field where clinical data remains scarce. Her ability to resume natural feeding behaviors — including striking, constricting, and swallowing prey without difficulty — further underscores the treatment’s success and minimal impact on jaw function.