Vatican: Pope Leo XIV has been diagnosed with lung adenocarcinoma after undergoing successful surgery to remove the lower lobe of his right lung, the Vatican has confirmed.
The 71-year-old pontiff underwent a 90-minute operation at Gemelli Hospital in Rome. According to the Vatican’s medical bulletin, the procedure was successful, with no complications reported. The Pope woke up normally after the operation and returned to his room following a brief period of observation.
The lung nodule was initially detected during routine medical checks. Although lung nodules are common and are not always cancerous, further examination confirmed pulmonary adenocarcinoma, as suspected in pre-operative tests.
Pope Leo XIV underwent thoracic surgery at Gemelli Hospital on Tuesday afternoon, as planned, according to a statement from Dr. Luigi Carbone and Professor Stefano Margaritora released by the Holy See Press Office.
The surgeons removed the lower lobe of the Pope’s right lung, and tissue examined during the operation confirmed the diagnosis of “lung adenocarcinoma,” as suspected from tests conducted beforehand.
The Pope was in the operating room approximately three hours, while the operation itself lasted about 90 minutes. The doctors said it was successful and there were no complications.
Pope Leo awoke normally after surgery and, following a brief period of observation, returned to his room on the hospital’s 10th floor, according to the statement.
https://t.co/63Fs28LCZJ— Vatican News (@VaticanNews) October 13, 2026
The Vatican said the entire lower lobe of the Pope’s right lung was removed to ensure the procedure was comprehensive. Further tests are being conducted to determine whether the cancer has spread.
Pope Leo had announced that doctors had discovered a lung growth that was contained and detected at a very early stage. The Pontiff added that medical professionals had recommended its removal. The Pope is expected to remain in hospital for approximately a week to recover. His schedule has been cleared until October 20 to allow time for his recovery.
According to Cardinal Kikuchi Tarcisio Isao of Tokyo, who met the Pope October 12, the pontiff had not experienced any physical discomfort. The decision to proceed with surgery promptly was also influenced by his planned trip to Latin America in early November.
The upcoming visit includes Peru, where Pope Leo served as a missionary and later as a bishop for several years. Vatican Secretary of State Cardinal Pietro Parolin said the news had come as a surprise but expressed confidence in the Pope’s recovery, noting his calm approach to the situation.
ALSO READ | NPCI delays UPI merchant charges until after Diwali
