Pope Leo’s lung nodule surgery was successful, Vatican says

Pope Leo XIV has been diagnosed with lung cancer after surgeons removed a section of his right lung on Tuesday, the Vatican announced. The 71-year-old Pope has adenocarcinoma, a prevalent type of lung cancer, with tissue tests during the surgery confirming the doctors' suspicions from preliminary examinations. He was admitted to Rome's Gemelli Hospital for the surgery to remove the growth that was detected during a recent health check-up.

The Vatican confirmed the operation's success earlier in the day, followed by a more comprehensive update from the Pope's chief surgeon and personal physician. To ensure a curative outcome, the lower lobe of the right lung was entirely removed using a video-assisted method, indicating the goal was to eradicate all cancerous tissue.

Medical professionals will need to determine the size of the removed tumor and whether the cancer has spread to the patient's lymph nodes to fully assess Pope Leo's condition. The Pope, scheduled to embark on an 11-day tour of Uruguay, Argentina, and Peru from November 6 to 17, has not yet decided whether the trip will proceed as planned.

In response to his diagnosis, the Vatican has suspended all his audiences until October 21 to allow him time to recover. The American-born pontiff disclosed during his Sunday blessing on October 11 that doctors had discovered the tumor. Pope Francis, the late predecessor of Pope Leo, was hospitalized multiple times as he grew frail in his later years before passing away at 88 in April 2025.

Elected as the head of the world's 1.4 billion Roman Catholics in May 2025, Pope Leo has left his mark on the papacy by addressing the ethical implications of artificial intelligence and growing critical of U.S. military actions, challenging the administration of President Donald Trump's claim that God was on the side of the U.S. in its conflict with Iran.