Pope Leo underwent surgery to remove the lower lobe of his right lung after medical tests confirmed lung adenocarcinoma, the Vatican announced on Tuesday.
The 71-year-old American pontiff spent approximately three hours in the operating room, with the procedure itself lasting about 90 minutes. He regained consciousness normally after the operation and returned to his hospital room to rest, reports CBC.
According to a Vatican medical bulletin, preoperative tests had indicated the presence of adenocarcinoma, which was confirmed during surgery at Gemelli Hospital. The procedure was performed by a medical team led by the hospital’s chief thoracic surgeon, Stefano Margaritora.
The Vatican press office said the medical statement described the removal of the lung lobe as “radical”, indicating that surgeons had removed all suspected cancerous tissue in an effort to eliminate any remaining traces of the disease.
Human lungs have five lobes: three in the right lung and two in the left. Doctors have not discussed chemotherapy or other follow-up treatments, and the Vatican’s statement did not mention any future treatment plans.
Before the operation, oncologists said the pontiff’s overall prognosis was “excellent” because the nodule had been detected and removed at an early stage. However, external medical experts said further details were needed to determine his precise outlook.
Stephen Liu, a lung cancer expert at Georgetown University in Washington and division chief of haematology-oncology at MedStar Georgetown University Hospital, said determining the cancer’s stage was crucial.
“While we have the diagnosis, we do not yet have the stage. This is critical to prognosis and treatment,” he told Reuters.
He added that surgery alone would likely be curative if the cancer was small and had not spread to the lymph nodes. However, more extensive cancer involvement would indicate a poorer prognosis.
The Vatican did not immediately disclose the tumour’s size or whether the cancer had spread to the lymph nodes.
Commenting on the pontiff’s care, Spaggiari said: “I think the Holy Father is in excellent hands at Gemelli.” He added that the hospital had everything needed to support his long-term health.
Rare transparency over health
Pope Leo has shown an unusual level of transparency about the first major health issue publicly disclosed during his 17-month papacy. He revealed that a small, localised lung nodule had been discovered during his Sunday noon prayer before announcing his decision to undergo surgery promptly.
Earlier on Tuesday, the pontiff walked into Gemelli Hospital through its main entrance, waving to dozens of well-wishers gathered to greet him.
The operation began on Tuesday evening as medical staff recited the Rosary in the hospital chapel.
“Let us join together in prayer, asking the Lord to sustain our bishop, Pope Leo, and to comfort all those who are hospitalised here,” Cardinal Baldassare Reina, the Vicar of Rome, said at the start of the prayer.
The surgery will require a week-long hospital stay, and the Vatican cancelled all papal audiences through 20 October on Monday.
Gemelli Hospital has a dedicated papal apartment on its 10th floor, complete with a private chapel. However, Pope Leo is staying in a nearby room because the papal suite is undergoing renovations.
Focus on November Latin America tour
Elected by the world’s cardinals in May 2025, Pope Leo is relatively young for a church leader. He enjoys sports such as tennis and has no history of smoking or previous health problems.
Cardinal Kikuchi Tsutomu, Archbishop of Tokyo and head of the Vatican’s charitable federation Caritas Internationalis, met the pontiff on Monday.
In a post on the Tokyo Archdiocese’s Facebook page, Cardinal Kikuchi said Leo had reported feeling fine and had opted for immediate surgery to avoid changing his upcoming travel plans.
“He has decided to undergo surgery soon in order to not change his plans for future overseas trips, so there is no need to worry, as it is not an emergency,” Cardinal Kikuchi wrote.
Guidelines from the European Institute of Oncology (EIO) advise patients against flying for three weeks after lung surgery. This would give the pontiff a recovery window before his scheduled trip to Uruguay, Argentina and Peru from 6 to 17 November.
The upcoming South American itinerary will be the longest tour of his papacy to date. It will involve travelling more than 31,000 kilometres across 12 flights and two helicopter rides, as well as a significant change in altitude in Peru.
