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Snake's Jaw Tumor Treated with Human Cancer Therapy
21 Aug
Summary
- A 23-year-old python received a pioneering cancer treatment previously used on humans.
- The snake underwent electrochemotherapy to treat a recurring jaw tumor.
- Months after treatment, the python is eating normally and has returned to good health.
A 23-year-old reticulated python named Jodie Foster at Chester Zoo has become the first snake worldwide to undergo a pioneering cancer treatment. Initially diagnosed with a fibrosarcoma in her jaw, the tumor returned after surgical removal, posing a significant risk to her life.
Veterinary officers collaborated with cancer specialists to adapt electrochemotherapy, a treatment combining chemotherapy drugs with electrical pulses, for the 50kg snake. This procedure, administered on a platform the size of a double bed due to Jodie's size, successfully targeted remaining cancer cells after the tumor mass was surgically removed.
Months post-treatment, Jodie is reportedly eating without difficulty and has returned to her energetic self. This success marks a significant advancement in veterinary medicine, with details of the procedure to be published to benefit the wider veterinary community.
