Pope Leo XIV Recovering After Lung Cancer Surgery, Vatican Says
Doctors at Rome's Gemelli Hospital removed the lower lobe of the pope's right lung on Tuesday and confirmed adenocarcinoma. A day later, the Vatican says he is walking, eating and recovering normally.
Pope Leo XIV is recovering at Rome's Gemelli Hospital after surgeons removed part of his right lung and confirmed that a growth found there was cancerous, the Vatican said this week.
The 71-year-old pontiff, the first American to lead the Catholic Church, underwent thoracic surgery on the afternoon of Tuesday, October 13. According to the Holy See Press Office, doctors removed the lower lobe of his right lung using a minimally invasive, video-assisted technique. He was in the operating room for about three hours; the procedure itself lasted roughly 90 minutes. The Vatican described the operation as successful and free of complications.
A tissue analysis performed during the surgery confirmed lung adenocarcinoma, the diagnosis doctors had suspected from tests before the operation. Adenocarcinoma is the most common form of lung cancer and tends to grow more slowly than other types, which often allows it to be caught earlier. The Vatican has not said what stage the cancer is or whether further treatment will be needed. Additional tests on the removed tissue are expected in the coming days.
The surgical team was led by Professor Stefano Margaritora, Gemelli's chief of thoracic surgery. After waking normally and a short period of observation, Leo was returned to his room on the hospital's 10th floor. Vatican spokesman Matteo Bruni said the pope asked for dinner that evening and spent time with his secretaries and Vatican staff.
A calm first night
On Wednesday morning, the Press Office said "the night passed calmly." In an afternoon update, doctors reported that his recovery was progressing normally. Blood tests and a chest X-ray came back within the expected range for the type of operation, according to the Vatican. The pope has started respiratory physiotherapy, has begun walking around his room and is eating normally again.
The health scare began on Sunday, October 11, when the Vatican announced that a nodular lesion had been found in the pope's lung. Speaking at his Sunday blessing, Leo told the faithful that he had chosen surgery on the advice of his doctors.
What comes next
The Vatican says the planned hospital stay of about one week has not changed. All of the pope's audiences have been canceled through October 20.
The bigger question is travel. Leo is scheduled to begin a trip to South America on November 6. Patients are generally advised to avoid flying for several weeks after this kind of lung surgery, which puts the trip close to the edge of a typical recovery window. The Vatican has not said whether the visit will go ahead as planned.
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