Pope Leo Diagnosed with Lung Cancer after Surgery

Pope Leo has been diagnosed with a common form of lung cancer after undergoing surgery to remove the lower lobe of his right lung, Reuters reports.

The 71-year-old pontiff was admitted to Rome’s Gemelli hospital on Tuesday for the procedure after doctors discovered a growth in his lung during a recent medical examination.

According to a medical bulletin issued by the Vatican, tissue tests conducted during the operation confirmed lung adenocarcinoma, a type of lung cancer.

Reuters reported that Stefano Margaritora, the pope’s lead surgeon and head of thoracic surgery at Gemelli hospital, said the procedure was carried out using a video-assisted technique.

“In order to make the procedure curative, the lower lobe of the right lung was removed using a video-assisted technique,” the bulletin said, quoting Margaritora.

It added that a rapid intraoperative histological examination confirmed the diagnosis of lung adenocarcinoma, as had been suspected from the pre-operative tests.

The Vatican had earlier announced that the surgery was successful before providing further details about the pope’s condition.

The operation lasted about 90 minutes and was completed without complications, according to the Vatican. Leo woke up normally and was resting in his hospital room.

The Vatican said the pontiff was expected to remain in hospital for about a week. All his public engagements have been cancelled until October 20.

The development comes two days after Leo announced that doctors had discovered a lung nodule during recent medical examinations and recommended its removal.

The pontiff on Sunday during his weekly Angelus address to worshippers gathered in St Peter’s Square at the Vatican, said the growth had been detected at an early stage and was well localised.

The pope added that he had decided to follow his doctors’ advice.

“The doctors believe that it is best to intervene, so, following their advice, I have decided to undergo surgery to remove it. The operation is already scheduled to take place in the coming days,” the pope said in a statement published on the Vatican News website.

Leo was elected pope in May 2025 following the death of Pope Francis, becoming the first American to lead the Catholic Church.