Pope Leo XIV has undergone surgery to remove part of his right lung, with the Vatican saying tests on the extracted tissue showed cancer.
The 71-year-old pontiff had the operation on Tuesday afternoon at the Agostino Gemelli University Policlinic.
The papacy disclosed the development on Tuesday, adding that the pope is now recovering in a Rome hospital after the medical procedure.
According to the Vatican statement signed by the doctors who performed the procedure, Luigi Carbone and Stefano Margaritora, the surgery went “according to plan”, and Leo has returned to his room.
What happened?
Surgeons removed the lower lobe of the right lung. They used video-assisted surgery, a method that needs only small cuts. The procedure lasted about 90 minutes.
Doctors then examined the lobe. They found pulmonary adenocarcinoma, a common type of lung cancer.
The news first came from the pope himself. On Sunday, he told the crowd in St. Peter’s Square that doctors had found a “nodule” on his lung. He said it was caught at a “very early stage” and was “well-contained.”
The Vatican said doctors found the growth during routine tests. Leo is not known to have any underlying health problems. He plays tennis and swims to stay active.
He kept a full schedule on Monday, according to CNN. He held back-to-back meetings in the morning and later joined a gathering of bishops and church leaders.
Vatican Secretary of State Cardinal Pietro Parolin disclosed that he met the pope on Monday evening. He stated that the pope was taken aback by the recommendation for surgery. He also said the pope spoke about it with “serenity.”
“Am I worried? Yes,” Parolin told Italian media. He added that the problem was detected early and that such cases can normally be resolved when caught in time.
What happens next?
A Vatican spokesman said the pope will need about a week to recover. Leo has cancelled all public events until October 20.
Gemelli is a private hospital with a long link to the Vatican. It keeps a special suite for the pope on the 10th floor. Pope John Paul II called it “Vatican three.” This is Leo’s first hospital stay as pope. Pope Francis also stayed there early last year, when he was treated for pneumonia.
Doctors say the outlook is good. Dr Matthew Triplette of the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Centre in Seattle spoke to CNN before the diagnosis was confirmed. He said surgery to remove a nodule is usually minimally invasive, with a low rate of complications. He said patients normally stay in hospital for a few days and then recover at home.
He also gave figures for early-stage cases. For the earliest stages of non-small cell lung cancer, he said, more than 80 per cent of patients stay free of the disease for five years.
The Vatican will keep working while the pope is in hospital. A separate team handles day-to-day operations. Anything that needs his signature will have to wait.
The Church has no specific rules for succession in the event of a pope’s incapacitation. Even if he is unconscious during surgery, the pope retains full authority. Pope Francis and Pope John Paul II both issued laws and statements while in the hospital.
