A 15-foot-long python at Chester Zoo in the United Kingdom has been successfully treated for cancer using electrochemotherapy, a technique commonly used in human cancer treatment. Zoo officials say the treatment is believed to be the first of its kind involving a snake.
The 23-year-old female python, named Jodie Foster, weighs around 50 kilograms and was diagnosed with fibrosarcoma after staff noticed she had stopped eating normally and was spending more time inactive. The cancer was found in her jaw and later returned after an initial surgical procedure.
Human Cancer Technique Used on Python
After the tumour returned and began affecting the snake’s jawbone, veterinary specialists used electrochemotherapy to treat the cancer.
The procedure combines cancer medication with controlled electrical pulses designed to help target tumour cells. Because of the python’s size, two operating tables had to be joined to accommodate the animal during the approximately 90-minute procedure.
The treatment was carried out as an effort to control the returning cancer while avoiding further deterioration of the snake’s condition.
Snake Returns to Normal Activity
Several months after treatment, Jodie Foster has returned to eating normally and is reportedly showing her usual level of activity.
A recent medical examination found no signs that the cancer had returned, according to the information provided by Chester Zoo.
Veterinary specialists plan to publish details of the case so that other veterinary professionals can study the approach and assess its potential application in treating similar cancers in animals.
The case highlights how techniques developed for human medicine can also be adapted for veterinary care, particularly when treating complex diseases in large or uncommon animals.
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