The Vatican announced on Tuesday that Pope Leo XIV has been diagnosed with lung cancer. He underwent surgery that confirmed the diagnosis, and doctors removed the lower lobe of his right lung. Here is what has been reported so far.
What the Vatican said
In a medical bulletin, the Vatican said the examination during surgery confirmed lung adenocarcinoma, as the preoperative tests had suspected. The pope, who is 71, was in the operating room for about three hours, and the surgery itself lasted about 90 minutes. The Vatican said the surgery was successful and there were no complications.
How he is doing
The pope woke up normally and is resting in his hospital room. The Vatican says his recovery is proceeding as expected and that he has begun respiratory physiotherapy. The Vatican also said he had a “peaceful” night after surgery.
How the news unfolded
The announcement came after a few days of notice. The Vatican announced on Sunday that he would have surgery after a nodular lesion was found in his lung. Doctors had found the growth during a recent health checkup. On Tuesday he walked into Rome’s Gemelli hospital through the main entrance and waved to well-wishers. Pope Leo recovering “as expected” after surgery and lung cancer diagnosis, Vatican says – CBS News +2
What kind of cancer is it?
Lung adenocarcinoma is the most common type of lung cancer in the United States, making up about 40% of diagnosed lung cancers. One doctor interviewed by NBC News said it is “one of the more treatable” types of cancer, and that a treatment course will be set after more testing by his medical team. The Vatican described it as curative surgery. Doctors outside the Vatican have not examined him, so the details of what treatment he needs next haven’t been made public. Wait for official updates.
What happens to his schedule?
The surgery typically requires a weeklong hospital stay, and the Vatican canceled all his audiences through October 20. The Vatican says a planned November trip to South America is still on
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