Python receives world-first electrochemotherapy

Chester Zoo announced that Jodie Foster, a 23-year-old reticulated python, has recovered from cancer after becoming the first snake to receive electrochemotherapy, a treatment typically used in humans. The python was diagnosed with a fibrosarcoma in her jaw, which recurred after initial surgery and began destroying her jawbone. Zoo veterinarians, led by Ian Ashpole, collaborated with cancer specialists at the University of Liverpool, including Jose Alvarez Picornell, to adapt the treatment for a snake. The procedure combined surgical removal of the tumor and part of the jawbone with electrochemotherapy, which uses the drug bleomycin and electrical pulses to target remaining cancer cells. Due to the python's size, two operating tables were combined. Months after the procedure, Jodie Foster is confirmed cancer-free and has returned to normal eating and behavior. The team plans to publish details of the procedure to benefit the wider veterinary community.