Pioneering Cancer Treatment Saves Chester Zoo’s Giant Python

A 23-year-old, 15-foot reticulated python named Jodie Foster at Chester Zoo was diagnosed with a malignant fibrosarcoma in her jaw. After an initial surgery failed to prevent recurrence, zoo veterinarians partnered with cancer specialists from the University of Liverpool to adapt electrochemotherapy—a technique that combines low-dose chemotherapy with brief high-voltage pulses and is routinely used for human skin cancers. The procedure involved a second surgery to remove part of the jawbone followed by electrochemotherapy to eradicate residual cells. Post-operative checks confirmed that Jodie Foster is now cancer-free and has resumed normal feeding and activity.

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Electrochemotherapy (ECT) has been employed in human oncology for years, especially for cutaneous tumors, because electrical pulses temporarily increase cell membrane permeability, allowing agents such as bleomycin to enter cancer cells more effectively. While ECT has appeared in a few reptile case studies involving turtles and lizards, Jodie Foster represents the first documented instance of the technique being applied to a snake. The collaboration reflects a growing trend of translating human medical advances to treat complex cancers in non-human species.

Pioneering cancer treatment saves python named Jodie Foster

• Species: Reticulated python (*Malayopython reticulatus*)

Giant python undergoing cancer treatment recovered

• Age: 23 years; Weight: ~110 lb (50 kg)

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• Tumor type: Fibrosarcoma of the jaw

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• Surgery duration: 90 minutes; required two operating tables combined to form a double-bed-size platform

Giant python undergoing cancer treatment recovered

• Post-treatment monitoring: Several months cancer-free, normal feeding restored

Pioneering cancer treatment saves python named Jodie Foster

Ian Ashpole, veterinary officer at Chester Zoo, explained that the returning tumor was destroying part of the python’s jawbone, making further surgery alone insufficient. He noted the logistical challenges of anesthetizing and operating on a snake of this size, describing the use of heated blankets and warmed air to maintain body temperature throughout the procedure.

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• “Electrochemotherapy is an emerging treatment, and this was the first time it had been used in a snake.” — University of Liverpool

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• “When the tumor came back and started destroying part of her jawbone, we knew more surgery on its own probably wasn’t going to be enough,” — Ian Ashpole

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• “She is so big we had to put two operating tables together, effectively making one the size of a double bed. We used heated blankets and warmed air to keep her body temperature stable throughout the operation. After 90 minutes of surgery, she recovered remarkably quickly,” — Ian Ashpole

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The successful adaptation of ECT for a large snake expands the therapeutic toolkit available to veterinarians confronting aggressive cancers in exotic reptiles, where conventional options are limited. Demonstrating that a human-origin treatment can be safely administered to a 110-lb reptile may encourage further research into cross-species applications of oncology techniques.

Pioneering cancer treatment saves python named Jodie Foster

The team intends to publish a detailed account of the procedure to provide a reproducible protocol for veterinary practitioners worldwide. Ongoing monitoring of Jodie Foster will assess long-term health and inform future refinements of ECT in reptilian medicine.

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