Good Morning Britain paused for an update on Pope Leo XIV, following his recent cancer diagnosis. Panning to journalist Rosie Dowsing, the reporter told Ranvir Singh, "We knew that Pope Leo was due to have major surgery, but what has now been announced is that surgeons found evidence of lung cancer. We're told it was caught early, with surgeons taking away the lower lobe of the right lung".
Vatican Statement on the Operation
Dowsing, who confirmed that Pope Leo had announced his surgery to crowds during prayer on Sunday, before reading a statement released by the Vatican. It explains: "The Holy Father was in the operating theatre for approximately three hours; the operation itself lasted about 90 minutes. The operation was successful, and there were no complications.
"After the operation, the Pope awoke normally and returned after a brief period of observation to his room."
Details from the Gemelli Hospital
"Well, there were seven doctors involved in this procedure," Dowsing said, continuing her report. "It took place in Rome's Gemelli Hospital yesterday. The Pope waved to dozens of well-wishers as he arrived. We're told he's going to be there for about a week recovering."
All audiences at the Vatican have been cancelled until the 20th of October. Now, Pope Leo is American; he's been in the role for about 17 months," the GMB star noted. "This is actually quite a rare insight into quite a major health issue."
Surgeon's Account and Next Steps
Dowsing concluded that doctors are not currently considering chemotherapy or any other type of therapy, with further updates likely in the coming days.
Prior to his surgery on Tuesday (13 October), Pope Leo, 71, had learned of his diagnosis after undergoing "routine checks" that uncovered a nodule in his lung. Over the weekend, he told crowds that he was scheduled for surgery. "The doctors believe it would be right to intervene, and so, following their advice, I have decided to have the operation to remove it," he declared on Sunday (11 October).
Shedding some light on the pontiff's procedure, lead surgeon Professor Stefano Margaritora has also revealed some key details. "In order to make the procedure curative, the lower lobe of the right lung was removed using a video-assisted technique," he wrote. "A rapid intraoperative histological examination confirmed the diagnosis of lung adenocarcinoma, as had been suspected from the pre-operative tests."
