Reticulated Python Becomes First Snake Treated With Electrochemotherapy for Cancer

A 15-foot, 110-pound reticulated python named Jodie Foster has become the first known snake to receive electrochemotherapy for cancer, according to Chester Zoo in England. The python, which has lived at the zoo for about 20 years, developed a malignant tumor on her jaw that was surgically removed roughly two years ago. When the tumor regrew about a year later, it threatened her ability to eat and survive.

Veterinarians determined that surgery alone would likely not prevent recurrence. They opted to combine a second surgery with electrochemotherapy, a technique that uses short, intense electrical pulses to make cancer cells more permeable to chemotherapy drugs. The method was first used in humans in the 1990s and has since been applied to animals such as cats and dogs, but never before in a snake.

The procedure took place in October 2025 and lasted about 90 minutes. Staff pushed two operating tables together to support the python's length and used heated blankets and warmed air to maintain her body temperature under anesthesia. Surgeons removed part of the affected jaw, injected chemotherapy medication into the remaining tissue, and then applied electrodes to deliver electrical pulses to the site.

Since the operation, the python's mouth has healed rapidly. She resumed her normal diet, gained weight, and returned to her usual behavior, described by staff as "bright and feisty." Follow-up assessments confirm she is now disease-free.

Jose Alvarez Picornell, a veterinarian at the University of Liverpool who participated in the treatment plan, said the case represents a world-first for reptile oncology. The veterinary team plans to publish formal details of the protocol so that other specialists can learn from and build upon the approach.

Electrochemotherapy is considered an emerging treatment in veterinary medicine. Its successful application in a large reptile expands the potential options for managing cancer in non-mammalian species, where treatment precedents are scarce.

Chester Zoo's veterinary and keeper teams collaborated on the complex logistics, including anesthesia management and postoperative care tailored to a cold-blooded animal of this size. The case demonstrates how adapting human oncology techniques can address previously untreatable conditions in zoo animals.

The python's name originated from the initials "JF" for juvenile female on her intake paperwork, which inspired the reference to actress Jodie Foster. She remains under routine monitoring at the zoo.