Pope Leo XIV has been diagnosed with lung cancer after surgeons removed the lower lobe of his right lung on Tuesday, the Vatican announced, in a medical bulletin that brought the most serious health news of his 17-month papacy.
The 71-year-old pontiff underwent thoracic surgery at Rome's Agostino Gemelli University Hospital on October 13. Doctors confirmed lung adenocarcinoma — a common form of lung cancer — through an intraoperative histological examination of tissue taken during the operation, verifying what preoperative tests had suspected.
Surgery "without complications"
The procedure was led by chief thoracic surgeon Professor Stefano Margaritora alongside the pope's personal physician, Dr. Luigi Carbone. The Vatican said the operation took about 90 minutes — three hours in the operating theatre in total — used a video-assisted technique, and proceeded without complications. The pope woke normally and was returned to his room.
The pope himself had revealed the small, localised lung nodule during his Sunday noon Angelus address. The Vatican said he was expected to spend about a week in hospital and cancelled his audiences through October 20.
Staging still to come
No further treatment has been announced. The Vatican did not mention chemotherapy, and doctors said the "radical" removal aimed to eliminate all suspect tissue — but the prognosis will depend on lymph-node involvement and further histological results, which were still pending.
Dr. Stephen Liu of Georgetown University told Reuters that the critical next steps are staging the disease: tumour size and lymph-node involvement are the key factors in determining the outlook.
Sources:
- Pope Leo had lobe of lung removed after doctors found cancer, Vatican says (Reuters)
- Pope Leo has lung cancer; lower lobe of right lung removed: Vatican (The Hindu)
- Pope Leo XIV diagnosed with lung cancer after surgery to remove part of right lung (Manila Times via AP)
The 71-year-old pontiff underwent thoracic surgery at Rome's Agostino Gemelli University Hospital on October 13. Doctors confirmed lung adenocarcinoma — a common form of lung cancer — through an intraoperative histological examination of tissue taken during the operation, verifying what preoperative tests had suspected.
Surgery "without complications"
The procedure was led by chief thoracic surgeon Professor Stefano Margaritora alongside the pope's personal physician, Dr. Luigi Carbone. The Vatican said the operation took about 90 minutes — three hours in the operating theatre in total — used a video-assisted technique, and proceeded without complications. The pope woke normally and was returned to his room.
The pope himself had revealed the small, localised lung nodule during his Sunday noon Angelus address. The Vatican said he was expected to spend about a week in hospital and cancelled his audiences through October 20.
Staging still to come
No further treatment has been announced. The Vatican did not mention chemotherapy, and doctors said the "radical" removal aimed to eliminate all suspect tissue — but the prognosis will depend on lymph-node involvement and further histological results, which were still pending.
Dr. Stephen Liu of Georgetown University told Reuters that the critical next steps are staging the disease: tumour size and lymph-node involvement are the key factors in determining the outlook.
Sources:
- Pope Leo had lobe of lung removed after doctors found cancer, Vatican says (Reuters)
- Pope Leo has lung cancer; lower lobe of right lung removed: Vatican (The Hindu)
- Pope Leo XIV diagnosed with lung cancer after surgery to remove part of right lung (Manila Times via AP)
