UK zoo saves cancer-stricken python with pioneering treatment

A UK zoo is celebrating a veterinary breakthrough after successfully treating a cancer-stricken python with a pioneering therapy. Chester Zoo announced Friday that Jodie Foster, a 4.5-meter (15-foot) reticulated python, has fully recovered after receiving an innovative treatment combining surgery and electrochemotherapy (ECT).

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We were facing the possibility of losing her as the tumour made it more and more difficult for her to eat. So we worked with cancer specialists to see whether we could adapt electrochemotherapy for a snake. As far as we’re aware, this is the first time it’s ever been used in one.

The 23-year-old snake, named after the Hollywood star, had a cancerous tumor in her jawbone that returned after an initial surgery. The veterinary team at Chester Zoo, in collaboration with cancer specialists from the University of Liverpool, adapted the ECT treatment, which is typically used for humans, for the reptile.

"We were facing the possibility of losing her as the tumour made it more and more difficult for her to eat," said Chester Zoo vet Ian Ashpole. "As far as we’re aware, this is the first time it’s ever been used in one [a snake]." The procedure involved two operating tables joined together to accommodate the large snake, with part of her jawbone removed during the 90-minute surgery.

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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.

Jodie Foster is now reported to be "cancer-free, eating normally and back to her usual ‘bright and feisty’ self." The zoo highlighted that animals are increasingly benefiting from human-grade cancer drugs and therapies. This successful treatment is expected to contribute to the wider veterinary community as details will be formally published.

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By working closely with Ian (Ashpole), we were able to develop a plan that not only benefited Jodie Foster but will also contribute to the wider veterinary community.