Pope Leo XIV has been diagnosed with lung adenocarcinoma, a form of lung cancer, after undergoing surgery at Rome’s Gemelli Polyclinic.
The Vatican released the following statement:
The lower lobe of the right lung was removed using a video-assisted technique to ensure complete removal. An intraoperative tissue examination confirmed lung adenocarcinoma, as suspected before surgery.
The procedure lasted approximately 90 minutes and ended without complications, although the pope spent about three hours in the operating room.
After a brief period of observation, Leo XIV woke up normally and returned to his room on the hospital’s tenth floor.
He was awake, alert and even asked for dinner. By the following morning, the Vatican reported that he had spent the night well.
Further postoperative tests and analyses of the removed tissue will take place in the coming days to complete the medical assessment.
The Vatican has not yet said whether the pope will need further treatment.
