Snake Cancer Treatment: Python Receives Electrochemotherapy

A massive python named Jodie Foster has become what is believed to be the first snake in the world to undergo an innovative cancer treatment also used in humans, according to a report in The Guardian. The experimental therapy successfully halted a malignant tumor in the snake's jaw that had begun spreading into the bone.

Jodie Foster is a 23-year-old female reticulated python who lives at Chester Zoo in Britain. She measures approximately 15 feet in length and weighs around 110 pounds. Keepers first suspected a medical problem when they noticed she was eating less than usual and spending extended periods motionless.

Examinations revealed a tumor in her jaw identified as fibrosarcoma, a malignant cancer that develops in connective tissue. Veterinarians surgically removed the growth, but it later returned and began penetrating the jawbone, destroying portions of it. The python's condition deteriorated, and staff feared the damage would prevent her from eating and ultimately prove fatal.

Zoo veterinarians consulted specialists at the University of Liverpool and explored the possibility of adapting a treatment called electrochemotherapy for the snake. The technique combines administration of the anti-cancer drug bleomycin with controlled electrical pulses delivered directly to the tumor site. The pulses temporarily make cancer cell membranes more permeable, allowing the medication to penetrate them with greater efficiency.

Treating Jodei Foster required special accommodations due to her unusual size. Two surgical tables were pushed together to create a surface the size of a double bed. She was anesthetized in her enclosure, then carefully transported to the zoo's veterinary center.

Snake being treated for Cancer (צילום: Chester zoo)

The procedure, which lasted approximately 90 minutes, was performed by veterinarian Ian Ashpole, who removed the tumor mass along with a portion of the damaged jawbone. Electrical pulses were then delivered to the area to enable the drug to attack any remaining cancer cells.

According to Ashpole, once the tumor had returned and begun destroying the jaw, it became clear that surgery alone would likely prove insufficient. The team faced the possibility that the snake might lose the ability to eat, prompting them to investigate whether the innovative treatment could be adapted for a reptile's physiology.

Several months have passed since the procedure, and Chester Zoo reports that Jodie Foster has returned to eating normally and resumed her characteristically vigorous and aggressive behavior. Keepers have observed her lunging at food, gripping it, and swallowing without difficulty, which is critical for pythons, who use their flexible jaws to consume large prey.

A follow-up examination conducted this week revealed no signs of cancer recurrence. However, staff will continue monitoring her condition to ensure the tumor does not redevelop.

The University of Liverpool plans to formally publish details of the procedure so veterinarians worldwide can learn from the case and consider using the technique to treat other reptiles. Researchers say the treatment's success could benefit not only wildlife medicine but also broader research into cancer therapies across different species.

The python's name, incidentally, was not originally given as a tribute to the Hollywood actress. When she arrived at the zoo, her paperwork bore the abbreviation "JF," meaning "juvenile female." Staff transformed the initials into the familiar name Judy Foster, which remained with her even after she matured and became one of the zoo's largest residents.