A 15-foot reticulated python named Jodie Foster at Chester Zoo has become the first snake to receive a novel cancer treatment normally administered to humans. Vets successfully treated a recurring tumor on her jawbone using electrochemotherapy, returning the reptile to her "bright and feisty self."
The 23-year-old python, named after the Oscar-winning actress upon her arrival at the zoo two decades ago due to "JF" (juvenile female) on her paperwork, had a tumor removed in 2024. However, the growth reappeared last year.
Pioneering Procedure
To address the returning cancer, veterinarians performed a 90-minute procedure at the zoo's Animal Health Centre. The tumor and a portion of Jodie Foster's jawbone were surgically removed. Following the surgery, electrochemotherapy was administered to target any remaining cancerous cells. This treatment involves combining a chemotherapy drug, bleomycin, with controlled electrical pulses, which temporarily increase the permeability of cancer cells, allowing the drug to penetrate more effectively.
Due to Jodie Foster's size, two operating tables were joined to create a space comparable to a double bed. Throughout the operation, heated blankets and warmed air were used to maintain her body temperature. The python recovered remarkably quickly from the surgery.
Collaboration and Future Applications
Ian Ashpole, a veterinarian at Chester Zoo, described the situation as critical, stating they were "facing the possibility of losing her as the tumour made it more and more difficult for her to eat." He noted that adapting electrochemotherapy for a snake was a novel approach. "As far as we're aware, this is the first time it's ever been used on one," Ashpole said.
Jose Alvarez Picornell from the University of Liverpool's Department of Small Animal Clinical Science highlighted the collaborative effort. "The success of this treatment is a testament to the power of collaboration," Picornell stated. "By working closely with Ian, we were able to develop a plan that not only benefited Jodie Foster but will also contribute to the wider veterinary community."
Details of the procedure will be formally published, allowing veterinary colleagues globally to learn from and build upon the approach. Ashpole added, "By bringing together zoo vets and cancer specialists, we've been able to use a treatment developed for people to save an animal in a way that's never been done before."
Despite the partial removal of her jawbone, Jodie Foster continues to eat normally, consuming whole thawed chickens. Reticulated pythons possess highly flexible jaws that allow them to swallow prey considerably wider than their heads. A final check this week confirmed no signs of the cancer's return. She is now back in her habitat within the zoo's Realm of the Red Ape area.