The pope Leo XIV was successfully operated on this Tuesday in Rome to remove a malignant tumor from his right lung. The Vatican confirmed that the pontiff, 71 years old, suffers from pulmonary adenocarcinoma, a type of cancer whose diagnosis was confirmed during the surgical procedure.
According to the medical statement released by Vatican News, the surgeons removed the lower lobe of the right lung using a video-assisted technique. The procedure was carried out at the Agostino Gemelli University Polyclinic in Rome and concluded without complications.
"The intraoperative histological examination confirmed the diagnosis of pulmonary adenocarcinoma, as suspected from the preoperative tests," the medical report stated.
León XIV remained in the operating room for about three hours, although the actual surgery lasted around 90 minutes. After waking up from anesthesia and spending a period in observation, he returned to his room on the tenth floor of the hospital.
The intervention aimed to remove the identified tumor tissue. However, the success of the surgery does not mean that a cure can be confirmed, as postoperative analyses still need to be completed to assess the extent of the disease and determine if further treatments will be necessary.
The intervention was led by Professor Stefano Margaritora, head of the thoracic surgery team that treated the pontiff.
Pope Leo XIV himself had informed on Sunday about the discovery of the nodule during the Angelus prayer before the faithful gathered in St. Peter's Square.
"Recently, during some check-ups, the doctors found a well-defined nodule on my lung. It was detected at a very early stage and is well localized," he explained, according to reported by Vatican News.
The pontiff noted that he had decided to follow his doctors' recommendation and undergo a procedure to have it removed. He also expressed his gratitude for the spiritual support of the faithful and requested their prayers.
At that moment, it had not yet been publicly communicated that the nodule was cancerous. The news about the upcoming surgery was reported in an article published on Sunday, which explained that the benign or malignant nature of the lesion had not yet been confirmed.
Two days later, the examination conducted during the surgery revealed that it was a pulmonary adenocarcinoma, confirming the suspicions raised in the prior medical tests.
León XIV was admitted to the Gemelli Hospital on the morning of Tuesday. Upon his arrival, he greeted the people who had gathered in front of the medical center.
The initially planned hospital stay is approximately one week. The Pope's official audiences and activities have been temporarily suspended until October 20 to facilitate his recovery.
The operation constitutes the first serious health issue known during the papacy of León XIV, who was elected in May 2025. The decision of the pope himself to publicly announce his intervention before entering the hospital has also drawn attention.
The diagnosis raises uncertainty about his upcoming pastoral tour of Latin America, scheduled from November 6 to 17, which includes visits to Uruguay, Argentina, and Peru. So far, there has been no official announcement regarding a cancellation of the trip.
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