Pope Leo XIV diagnosed with lung adenocarcinoma, Vatican confirms successful surgery

The Vatican has announced that Pope Leo XIV has been diagnosed with lung cancer after undergoing surgery to remove the lower lobe of his right lung.

The procedure was carried out on Tuesday at Rome’s Gemelli Hospital and lasted about 90 minutes. According to the medical statement, the surgery was successful and the 71-year-old woke up normally afterward.

“After the operation, the Pope woke up normally and, following a brief observation period, returned to his room on the tenth floor,” the Holy See said in a statement.

The mass in his lung was detected during routine medical examinations. The Pope said on Sunday that the mass was limited and had been discovered at a very early stage, while doctors had recommended removing it through surgery.

The operation was performed by the thoracic surgery team at Gemelli Hospital. To allow him time to recover, the Pope’s schedule has been cleared through October 20.

The Vatican said that the Pope had shown no signs of infection or illness. Cardinal Tarcisio Isao Kikuchi of Tokyo said on social media that he had met with the Pope on Monday and that the Pope had told him he did not feel any unusual physical discomfort.

According to the cardinal, the Pope chose to undergo the operation as soon as possible because he plans to travel to Latin America at the beginning of November. The itinerary includes Peru, where he served for many years, first as a missionary and later as a bishop.

News of the diagnosis has alarmed Catholic faithful around the world. Vatican Secretary of State Cardinal Pietro Parolin said that he, too, was concerned about the situation.

“Am I concerned? Yes, because of course I did not expect something like this,” Parolin told reporters on Tuesday.

He described the diagnosis as a sudden blow, but added that the cardinals had been positively surprised by the Pope’s calmness and hoped he would recover.

Doctors explain that masses found in the lungs are not always cancerous and are usually analyzed after removal to determine their nature. In the Pope’s case, the Vatican has confirmed that it is lung adenocarcinoma.

The Holy See has not yet provided further details about the treatment that will follow the operation. Attention is now focused on the Pope’s recovery and on whether he will be able to make the planned trip to Latin America in November.