Pope Leo XIV has been diagnosed with lung cancer following a successful operation to remove part of his right lung, according to medical bulletins released by the Vatican. The 71-year-old pontiff underwent the procedure at Rome’s Gemelli Hospital, where doctors confirmed a diagnosis of lung adenocarcinoma.
The medical team, led by surgeon Stefano Margaritora alongside the pope’s personal doctor, Luigi Carbone, performed a video-assisted resection to remove the lower lobe of the right lung. According to the official statement, the operation lasted approximately 90 minutes, with the pope spending about three hours total in the operating theatre. Physicians reported that the procedure was successful, without complications, and that the pope regained consciousness normally before returning to his room.
Discovery and Early Detection
The small nodule was initially discovered by chance during routine abdominal examinations, as the base of the lungs is often visible on such scans near the diaphragm. Surgeons noted that had the tumor been located slightly higher, it likely would have gone unnoticed. Pope Leo experienced no respiratory symptoms and felt perfectly well prior to the discovery, highlighting how early-stage lung cancer frequently presents without noticeable signs.
In an unusually transparent disclosure regarding papal health, the pope first revealed the finding himself during his Sunday noon prayer in St. Peter’s Square, telling the faithful that doctors had located a small, localized nodule detected at a very early stage.
Surgery and Recovery Details
The Vatican’s press office described the operation as a radical resection, indicating that surgeons removed all suspect tissue to eliminate lingering traces of the disease. Following the procedure, medical staff noted the pope’s steady recovery. Staff members reported that on the second day after surgery, the pontiff insisted on arranging chairs in his hospital’s makeshift chapel himself, declining assistance.
Medical evaluations confirmed normal blood tests, proper heart function, and steady lung re-expansion before his discharge. The diagnosis and subsequent treatment arrived just ahead of the pope’s previously scheduled international travel plans, which included upcoming visits to Uruguay, Argentina, and Peru.
