Pope Leo XIV has been diagnosed with lung cancer after laboratory examination during surgery confirmed that a nodule in his lung was adenocarcinoma, prompting surgeons to remove the lower lobe of his right lung.
The Vatican confirmed the diagnosis on Tuesday after the 71-year-old pontiff underwent thoracic surgery at the Agostino Gemelli University Hospital in Rome, in the first major publicly disclosed health challenge of his pontificate.
A medical bulletin issued by the Holy See Press Office said an intraoperative histological examination confirmed lung adenocarcinoma, a diagnosis doctors had already suspected following tests carried out before the operation.
“The intraoperative histological examination confirmed the diagnosis of lung adenocarcinoma, as suspected by the preoperative tests”, the Vatican said.
Doctors said the Pope spent about three hours in the operating room, although the surgery itself lasted approximately 90 minutes.
“The surgery was successful, and there were no complications”, the medical bulletin read.
The operation was carried out by a thoracic surgery team led by Professor Stefano Margaritora, with the Vatican identifying Dr Luigi Carbone and Margaritora among the doctors providing the medical update.
According to the Vatican, surgeons removed the lower lobe of Pope Leo’s right lung as part of the procedure. The Pope subsequently returned to his hospital room to begin his recovery.
An earlier statement from the Holy See Press Office, issued shortly after the procedure, had announced that the surgery had been completed successfully and according to plan.
“The surgery was completed successfully, within the expected timeframe and as planned, and the Holy Father has returned to his room”, the Vatican said.
The subsequent medical bulletin provided the more significant disclosure that examination of the removed tissue had confirmed cancer.
The health concerns surrounding the pontiff emerged publicly on Sunday when Pope Leo announced that doctors had discovered a small nodule in his lung and advised that it be surgically removed.
Prayers For Pontiff
As the Pope underwent surgery, Catholics in Rome and other parts of the world held prayers for his recovery.
Cardinal Baldassare Reina, Vicar General for the Diocese of Rome, led a Rosary at the hospital’s St John Paul II Chapel, while parishes and religious communities across the diocese were invited to pray simultaneously for the pontiff.
“Together, let us raise our prayer that the Lord may sustain our bishop, Pope Leo, and bring comfort to all those who are hospitalised here”, Reina said.
Prayer initiatives were also organised in Peru, the Philippines, parts of Africa and the Pope’s native Chicago.
Cardinal Pietro Parolin, the Vatican Secretary of State, had earlier spoken about the Pope’s calm disposition after he publicly disclosed the need for surgery.
Born Robert Francis Prevost in Chicago, United States, Leo became the 267th Pope and the first American to lead the Roman Catholic Church when he was elected following the death of Pope Francis.
