Pope Leo Diagnosed With Lung Cancer After Surgery

Pope Leo XIV has been diagnosed with pulmonary adenocarcinoma after surgery removed the lower lobe of his right lung, the Vatican said. The operation at Rome’s Gemelli Hospital on October 13 was successful and had no complications, according to the Vatican’s medical bulletin. An examination of tissue during the procedure confirmed the cancer, which doctors had suspected from preoperative tests. The Vatican said the surgery lasted about 90 minutes. Leo awoke normally and returned to his hospital room after a period of observation. The Vatican expected Leo to remain in hospital for about a week and cancelled his public audiences through October 20. It has not disclosed the cancer’s stage or whether it has spread. Further medical assessments, including examination of lymph nodes, are expected to help determine the extent of the disease and whether additional treatment is needed. The diagnosis followed the discovery of a lung nodule during medical checks. Before surgery, Leo said doctors had found it at an early stage and recommended removing it. That description did not establish the cancer’s final stage, which depends on further test results.