Pope Leo XIV undergoes surgery for lung cancer

Pope Leo XIV has lung cancer, the Vatican said Tuesday, after surgeons at Rome’s Gemelli hospital removed the lower lobe of his right lung.

A medical bulletin said the operation confirmed lung adenocarcinoma, which preoperative tests had already pointed to. The 71-year-old spent about three hours in the operating room, roughly 90 minutes of it in surgery, and the Vatican said the procedure went smoothly with no complications. Earlier in the day, Leo walked through the hospital’s main entrance waving to well-wishers.

The cancer appears to have been caught early. Doctors found the small, localized nodule during routine checks before it caused any symptoms, and Leo disclosed it himself during his Sunday prayer, an unusually open move on the first major health issue of his 17-month papacy. Outside oncologists called his outlook excellent given the early removal. Lymph node results, which can take several days, will show whether further treatment is needed, and one specialist said none should be if they come back clear.

He faces roughly a week in the hospital, and the Vatican has canceled his audiences through Oct. 20. His recovery will decide whether he can make his planned Nov. 6-17 trip to Uruguay, Argentina and Peru, the longest of his papacy at more than 31,000 kilometers. A cardinal who saw him Monday said Leo chose to operate quickly precisely to keep that trip on schedule.