Vatican Says Pope Leo Has Lung Adenocarcinoma

Pope Leo XIV has been diagnosed with lung adenocarcinoma after surgery removed the lower lobe of his right lung, the Vatican said Tuesday. The Vatican reported that the operation was successful, had no complications and that the Pope awoke normally before returning to his hospital room. The surgery took place on October 13 at Rome’s Gemelli Hospital. A postoperative examination of tissue removed during the procedure confirmed the diagnosis, which doctors had suspected before the operation, according to the Vatican’s medical bulletin. The Vatican said Leo was expected to remain in hospital for about a week. His public audiences were cancelled through October 20 to allow time for recovery. The cancer’s stage and whether it has spread have not been publicly established. Further assessment, including test results from lymph nodes, could help determine the extent of the disease and whether additional treatment is needed, reports said. The removal of the affected lung lobe does not by itself establish the Pope’s longer-term prognosis. Before the operation, the Vatican had described the finding as a small, localized lung nodule detected early and recommended its removal.