Pope Leo asked his congregation to pray for him during Sunday's service at St. Peter's Basilica. The request came as he prepared for a medical procedure that would become the first major health issue of his seventeen‑month tenure as head of the Catholic Church. He had previously told observers he was undergoing the operation earlier in the week, but the Vatican only confirmed his diagnosis on Tuesday.
It is understood that the pontiff was originally sent for treatment at Rome's Gemelli Hospital for the removal of a small nodule. Further tests showed the nodule was cancerous, leading to the decision to remove the lower lobe of his right lung. The Vatican said in a statement that the procedure was completed successfully, within the expected timeframe and as planned, but did not elaborate further.
🚨Update: Sign From God?? ‘Pope Leo diagnosed with lung cancer and has part of right lung removed!’ - official Vatican statement https://t.co/Si6CkWHJJk
Pope Leo XIV, seventy‑one years old, underwent surgery at Rome's Agostino Gemelli University Hospital. He spent approximately three hours in the operating room, including about ninety minutes of actual surgery. He was originally sent to Gemelli for removal of a small nodule.
Analysis of a lump removed from his lung showed adenocarcinoma, a common form of lung cancer.
Surgeons removed the lower lobe of his right lung using a minimally invasive video‑assisted technique. The operation was led by Professor Stefano Margaritora and Dr Luigi Carbone. A postoperative medical bulletin confirmed the diagnosis of pulmonary adenocarcinoma, a type of lung cancer. The Vatican reported the operation was completed successfully and as planned, with no complications. The pope has woken up normally and is resting in his hospital room.
Leo XIV Has Part of Right Lung Removed; Cancer Diagnosis Confirmed - https://t.co/WflNV5WSqs
Analysis of a lump removed from his lung showed adenocarcinoma, a common form of lung cancer. Tissue tests during the operation confirmed what doctors had suspected from preparatory examinations. The surgery lasted about ninety minutes and was successful with no complications. While the diagnosis confirms the nodule was cancerous, the full extent of the disease remains undetermined pending further tests on lymph nodes. Medical experts noted that the cancer stage is critical to prognosis and treatment. Dr Stephen Liu of Georgetown University said that if the cancer is small with no lymph node involvement, surgery alone may be curative, but greater cancer involvement would indicate a poorer prognosis.
The Vatican said the pope is expected to recover in hospital for at least a week, with events in his diary cancelled until 20 October. The successful removal of the affected lobe does not establish a long‑term prognosis, and additional treatment may be necessary depending on staging results. The Vatican provided updates from the pope's lead surgeon, Dr Stefano Margaritora, and his personal physician, Dr Luigi Carbone.
POPE LEO XIV DIAGNOSED WITH LUNG CANCER Pope Leo XIV’s scheduled thoracic surgery was successful, the Holy See Press Office shared. Part of his right lung was discovered to have a cancerous growth and was removed during the operation. It also confirmed the diagnosis of lung adenocarcinoma, a common type of cancer. The Vatican said the pontiff is now back in his room for recovery. (Courtesy: Vatican News)
Pope Leo, the first American Pope, is seventy‑one years old. His tenure as head of the Catholic Church has lasted seventeen months. He has undergone lung surgery at Gemelli hospital.
