Pope Leo Diagnosed With Lung Cancer After Surgery In Rome

Pope Leo XIV has been diagnosed with lung cancer after surgeons removed the lower lobe of his right lung in a procedure at a hospital in Rome, the Vatican has said.

The 71-year-old pontiff was diagnosed with lung adenocarcinoma, a common type of lung cancer, after tissue tests conducted during surgery confirmed doctors’ suspicions from earlier examinations.

According to a medical bulletin released by the Vatican on Tuesday, the operation was successful and ended without complications.

The pope was admitted to Rome’s Gemelli Hospital for surgery to remove a growth discovered during a recent routine health check.

His lead surgeon, Dr Stefano Margaritora, and personal physician, Dr Luigi Carbone, said the procedure lasted about 90 minutes.

“In order to make the procedure curative, the lower lobe of the right lung was removed using a video-assisted technique,” the doctors said, indicating that the surgery was intended to remove the cancerous tissue.

The human right lung has three lobes, while the left lung has two.

However, the extent of the cancer and its implications for the pope’s recovery remain unclear, as the Vatican has not disclosed the tumour’s size or whether the disease has spread to his lymph nodes.

Dr Stephen Liu, a lung cancer specialist at Georgetown University in Washington, United States, said further information was needed to assess the pope’s condition and prognosis.

“While we have the diagnosis, we do not yet have the stage. This is critical to prognosis and treatment,” Liu told Reuters.

He said surgery could be curative if the cancer was small and had not spread to the lymph nodes, but a more extensive spread of the disease could indicate a poorer prognosis.

Pope Resting After Surgery

The Vatican said Pope Leo regained consciousness normally after the operation and returned to his hospital room, where he was resting.

The pontiff left the Vatican shortly before 1pm on Tuesday and travelled by motorcade to Gemelli Hospital, about nine kilometres away.

On arrival, he shook hands with hospital officials and walked past a crowd of well-wishers before entering the facility.

Some of those gathered shouted “Auguri”, an Italian expression meaning best wishes.

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

The diagnosis represents a significant health setback for the pontiff, who has maintained a busy schedule since his election in May 2025.

Pope Leo is expected to embark on an 11-day tour of Uruguay, Argentina and Peru from November 6 to 17, although it remains unclear whether the trip will proceed as planned.

Pope’s Health And Background

Born Robert Francis Prevost in Chicago, United States, in 1955, Pope Leo served for decades as a missionary and bishop in Peru before becoming head of the Catholic Church.

He is the spiritual leader of about 1.4 billion Catholics worldwide and holds the Church’s highest office. The papacy has no deputy who automatically assumes the pope’s authority when he is ill, although the Vatican’s administrative operations continue during his absence.

Pope Leo has previously spoken about a serious illness he suffered as a young priest. In 1985, he contracted typhoid fever in Chulucanas, Peru, and was hospitalised.

He later recounted the experience in a book published by Penguin Peru, saying the pain was so severe that he had asked God to let him die rather than continue suffering.

He said his survival made him believe that God wanted him to remain on Earth.

Pope Leo’s predecessor, Pope Francis, died in April 2025 at the age of 88 after several hospitalisations in his later years.