The Vatican has issued an update on Pope Leo XIV's recovery after he had surgery to remove a cancerous mass from his lung. Tuesday's surgery confirmed that Leo has lung adenocarcinoma, the most common type of lung cancer.
Surgeons removed the lower lobe of his right lung. The Pope was in the operating room for approximately three hours, while the operation itself lasted about 90 minutes. The doctors said it was successful and there were no complications.
But questions remained about whether the cancer had spread. Blood tests and a chest X-ray showed the 71-year-old pope was recovering normally, his two doctors said.
Doctors' statement on postoperative recovery
The Holy See Press Office released a statement on the afternoon of October 14 from Dr. Luigi Carbone and Professor Stefano Margaritora, the chief of Thoracic Surgery at the Gemelli Hospital, who performed the operation along with the medical team, regarding Pope Leo XIV's postoperative recovery.
"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," said the statement.
"The Holy Father has undergone respiratory physiotherapy and has begun walking around his room. He has resumed eating normally and had breakfast and lunch," it added. "His recovery is proceeding as expected."
Mass and upcoming tests
Later, Matteo Bruni, Director of the Holy See Press Office, told journalists that the Pope concelebrated Mass on Wednesday afternoon in a room specially prepared for the purpose on the 10th floor of Gemelli Hospital.
In the coming days, post-operation exams will be conducted on the removed tissue. The preoperative tests had already shown the doctors where and how to operate.
No change has been communicated regarding the previously announced hospitalization time of one week. However, Peru's president suggested Leo might have to alter his planned visit to Latin America next month.
Lymph node tests and royal support
Experts said some of Leo's lymph nodes would also have been removed and tested to determine whether the cancer had spread. Those results have not so far been made public.
It is understood that the King, who is undergoing treatment for cancer, plans to privately write to the Pope to pass on his best wishes following the diagnosis.
