Surgeons have confirmed that Pope Leo XIV is recovering as expected following surgery to remove a cancerous mass from his lung. The update was provided by Dr Luigi Carbone and Professor Stefano Margaritora, head of Thoracic Surgery at Rome's Gemelli University Hospital.
The Pope underwent surgery after being diagnosed with lung adenocarcinoma, the most common form of lung cancer. During the procedure, surgeons removed the lower lobe of his right lung. The operation took approximately 90 minutes, with the Pope spending around three hours in theatre. Medical professionals confirmed the surgery was successful and carried out without complications.
Post-operative update
In a statement released yesterday afternoon, the medical team said: "This morning, the Holy Father underwent the blood tests and chest X-ray scheduled after surgery. The results confirm that his postoperative recovery is progressing normally: the values are within the expected range for the type of operation performed."
The statement added: "The Holy Father has undergone respiratory physiotherapy and has begun walking around his room. He has resumed eating normally and had breakfast and lunch. His recovery is proceeding as expected."
Mass and next steps
Matteo Bruni, Director of the Holy See Press Office, informed reporters that the Pope concelebrated Mass on Wednesday afternoon in a specially arranged room on the 10th floor of Gemelli Hospital.
In the coming days, post-operative examinations will be carried out on the extracted tissue. Pre-operative tests had already provided doctors with a clear picture of where and how to proceed with the surgery.
Concerns and future plans
Concerns had persisted regarding potential cancer spread, but blood work and a chest X-ray demonstrated the 71-year-old pontiff was recovering as anticipated. Medical experts indicated that a number of lymph nodes would also have been removed and examined to establish whether the cancer had spread, though those findings have yet to be made public.
No updates have been issued regarding the previously stated hospital stay of one week. However, Peru's president has suggested Leo may need to reconsider his scheduled trip to Latin America next month. It is understood that the King, who is himself currently receiving cancer treatment, intends to write privately to the Pope to convey his heartfelt wishes following the diagnosis.
