Pope Leo XIV was diagnosed with lung cancer after undergoing surgery to remove part of his right lung, the Vatican announced. The operation, conducted at Rome’s Gemelli hospital, confirmed the presence of lung adenocarcinoma, a common type of lung cancer.
Doctors removed the lower lobe of the pope’s right lung during the procedure, which took place on Tuesday. Tissue tests performed during the surgery confirmed the cancer diagnosis, which had been suspected earlier. The Vatican released a medical bulletin detailing the operation and the results.
This marks the first major health issue for Pope Leo since he took office 17 months ago. The pontiff was admitted to the hospital on Tuesday for the surgery, which lasted approximately seven hours. He spent a tranquil night in the hospital following the procedure.
Pope Leo, 71, had mentioned during a recent check-up that a small nodule had been detected early. The surgery was described as successful and completed within the expected time frame. The Vatican has not provided further details on the pope’s recovery or any potential long-term implications of the diagnosis.
The diagnosis comes amid ongoing discussions about the health of religious leaders and the impact of such developments on the Catholic Church’s leadership. While the pope has not publicly commented on his condition, the Vatican has maintained a steady update on his medical status.
