León XIV’s surgery is complete: lung cancer

Pope Leo XIV underwent successful surgery on Tuesday, October 13, to remove a lesion in his right lung at the Gemelli Polyclinic in Rome, the Holy See confirmed. Doctors Luigi Carbone and Stefano Margaritora stated in a medical bulletin that the video-assisted procedure removed the lower lobe of the right lung and proceeded without complications.

A histological examination performed during the operation revealed the lesion is pulmonary adenocarcinoma, a type of lung cancer. While the surgery was successful, the Holy See noted that definitive analysis is still required to determine the extent of the disease and if the Pope needs further treatment.

The Pope spent approximately three hours in the operating room, though the surgery itself lasted about 90 minutes. After waking up and undergoing observation, he returned to his hospital room on the tenth floor. The Pope previously informed the public of the need for surgery during the Angelus prayer on Sunday, October 11, when the condition was initially described as a localized pulmonary nodule.