Pope Leo XIV recovers after cancerous lung tumour removed

Pope Leo XIV was recovering in hospital on Thursday after surgery to remove a cancerous lung tumour, with tests still pending to determine whether the disease had spread, according to the Vatican. The pope underwent the operation on Tuesday at Rome’s Gemelli hospital. The Vatican said he spent a calm night afterward. A report citing doctors said he was out of bed, walking and eating, and that postoperative tests showed normal progress. The Vatican has said the tumour was detected early and was localized. However, results needed to establish whether the cancer had spread had not been announced as of Thursday. Those findings could clarify the extent of the illness; the reports provided no test result or further medical detail. The Vatican expected recovery to take about a week and cancelled papal audiences through October 20. The operation has also raised questions about whether Leo will make a planned November visit to Uruguay, Argentina and Peru, but no decision about the trip was reported. People gathered outside Gemelli hospital to express support for the pope. A nun who visited the hospital said she was optimistic about his recovery.