Pope Leo XIV is recovering after surgery on Tuesday, Oct. 13, resulted in a diagnosis of lung cancer.
The pope underwent surgery to remove a small lung nodule Tuesday, the first significant medical procedure of the 71-year-old's papacy. The Vatican announced that afternoon that the surgery was "completed successfully" without complication, and that the pope "woke up normally and, after a brief period of observation, returned to his room on the tenth floor."
During the procedure, a team at the Agostino Gemelli University Hospital led by Professor Stefano Margaritora discovered a lung adenocarcinoma, the most common type of non-small-cell lung cancer. The lower lobe of the pope's right lung was removed, according to a statement shared by the Vatican.
The Vatican said previously that the pope was expected to spend a week in the hospital recovering.
Contributing: Reuters; Terry Moseley, Jay Stahl, USA TODAY
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Pope Leo diagnosed with lung cancer after surgery
