15-Foot Python at Chester Zoo Becomes First Snake Cured of Cancer via Electrochemotherapy
At Chester Zoo, a 15-foot reticulated python named Jodie Foster has made history as the first snake to undergo electrochemotherapy for cancer and has successfully overcome the disease. Two years prior, she developed a malignant tumor in her jaw, which reappeared after an initial surgery. The recurrence made it challenging for her to eat, leading veterinarians to opt for a combination of surgery and electrochemotherapy in October 2025. This complex procedure required two operating tables to accommodate her 110-pound frame, involved 90 minutes of anesthesia, jaw removal, chemotherapy injection, and the application of electric pulses through electrodes. The team, led by veterinarian Charlotte Bentley alongside Ian Ashpole and Jose Alvarez Picornell, intends to share their findings. Electrochemotherapy was initially utilized in humans in the 1990s.
Key facts
- The 15-foot reticulated python at Chester Zoo is the first known snake to receive electrochemotherapy for cancer.
- The python is named Jodie Foster after the actress because of the initials 'JF' on her intake paperwork.
- She arrived at the zoo about 20 years ago.
- Two years ago, she stopped eating and became lethargic; a malignant tumor was found and removed from her jaw.
- A second tumor grew about a year later, making eating difficult and threatening her life.
- The procedure took place in October 2025.
- Veterinarians pushed two operating tables together to accommodate her 110-pound body.
- The surgery lasted 90 minutes, and heated blankets kept her body temperature stable.
- The team removed part of her jaw, placed chemotherapy medication into the tissue, and applied electric pulses.
- The python has made a complete cancer-free recovery and is once again 'bright and feisty'.
- Electrochemotherapy was first used in humans in the 1990s and is now used on cats and dogs.
- The team plans to publish details of the procedure for veterinary colleagues worldwide.
Entities
Artists
Institutions
- Chester Zoo
- University of Liverpool
Locations
- England
- Chester