Pope Leo Diagnosed With Lung Cancer After Surgery To Remove Part Of Right Lung

Pope Leo XIV was diagnosed with lung cancer after undergoing successful surgery to remove the lower lobe of his right lung, the Vatican said in a medical bulletin. The 71-year-old pontiff underwent a 90-minute operation at Rome’s Agostino Gemelli Hospital on Tuesday. Subsequent examinations confirmed a diagnosis of lung adenocarcinoma, a type of cancer that develops in the glandular cells of the lung.

“The operation was successful and there were no complications,” the Vatican said. It added that the Pope awoke normally after the procedure and returned to his room following a brief period of observation. The growth was first detected during what the Vatican described as routine medical checks. The Pope is expected to remain in hospital for about

a week as he recovers.

Pope’s Entire Lower Lung Lobe Removed

The Vatican said the entire lower lobe of the Pope’s right lung had been removed to ensure the procedure was “radical”, indicating that the surgical team aimed to remove the affected tissue completely. Agence France-Presse reported, citing a Vatican source, that further tests were being conducted to determine whether the cancer had spread to other parts of the body.

Pulmonary nodules, or small growths in the lungs, are relatively common and are not necessarily cancerous. However, examinations following the discovery of the Pope’s lung nodule confirmed pulmonary adenocarcinoma, as suspected in pre-operative tests, the Vatican said. The Vatican has also stressed that the pontiff had not shown symptoms of infection or illness.

Pope Announced Surgery During Sunday Prayer

Pope Leo XIV announced his upcoming operation on Sunday while addressing worshippers from the balcony overlooking St Peter’s Square in Rome after delivering the traditional Angelus blessing. He said the nodule in his lung was “contained” and had been detected at a very early stage. Doctors had nevertheless advised him to undergo surgery to remove it.

The Pope’s public schedule has been cleared until October 20 to allow him time to recover.

According to Cardinal Tarcisio Isao Kikuchi of Tokyo, who said he met the pontiff on Monday, the Pope had felt physically well despite the discovery. Kikuchi said Leo had decided to undergo surgery as soon as possible because he was due to travel to Latin America in early November.