Pope Leo XIV Diagnosed With Lung Adenocarcinoma After Surgery to Remove Lower Right Lung Lobe

Pope Leo XIV has been diagnosed with lung adenocarcinoma following surgery on Tuesday, October 13, at Rome's Agostino Gemelli Polyclinic. Surgeons removed the lower lobe of his right lung using a video-assisted technique in a procedure lasting 90 minutes, with the pope in the operating room for approximately three hours. The Vatican described the operation as successful and free of complications.

The cancer diagnosis was confirmed by intraoperative histological examination, corroborating findings from pre-operative tests. The 71-year-old pontiff had announced the planned surgery the previous Sunday during his weekly blessing in St. Peter's Square, saying doctors had found a localized nodule at a very early stage. Following the procedure, Leo regained consciousness normally and was taken to his room on the 10th floor of the Gemelli Hospital. The Vatican said he spent a tranquil night after the operation.

Lung adenocarcinoma is the most common subtype of non-small-cell lung cancer, typically forming in the outer regions of the lung. Detection at an early, localized stage, as in the pope's case, generally carries a more favorable prognosis than advanced-stage diagnoses. No further details about planned follow-up treatment have been released by the Vatican.