Pope Leo undergoes surgery after lung cancer diagnosis

Pope Leo XIV underwent surgery on Tuesday to remove part of his right lung following a diagnosis of lung cancer, the Vatican announced.

The 71-year-old pontiff received a minimally invasive, camera-guided procedure at Agostino Gemelli University Hospital in Rome. The operation took roughly 90 minutes, with the Pope spending about three hours in the operating room overall. According to the Vatican, the surgery proceeded without complications and achieved its intended result.

Doctors performing the thoracic surgery, led by Professor Stefano Margaritora, confirmed the diagnosis of lung adenocarcinoma through tissue analysis conducted while the Pope remained under anaesthesia. Pathologists rapidly examined the sample to give the surgical team immediate information during the procedure.

The pontiff awoke as expected and was moved to a 10th-floor room at the hospital. The Vatican indicated that his stay would likely extend about a week.

On Sunday, before the procedure, Pope Leo disclosed that physicians had discovered the nodule in "a very initial phase" and that it was "well localized." He stated that medical professionals believed intervention was warranted. Cardinal Pietro Parolin, the Vatican's secretary of State, remarked that he was "struck by his serenity" when the Pope made this announcement, adding, "We are confident. And of course we all accompany him with our prayers and our affection."

Lung adenocarcinoma represents the most prevalent form of non-small cell lung cancer, accounting for roughly 40 percent of all lung cancer cases. Because it develops more slowly than other lung cancer types and typically arises in the outer regions of the lungs, it is often identified before spreading.

Cardinal Baldassare Reina, Vicar General for the Diocese of Rome, led evening prayers in the hospital chapel on Tuesday, asking that the Lord sustain the Pope and comfort all patients in the facility.

Pope Leo, a native of Chicago and the first American to hold the papacy, was elected as the church's 267th pontiff in May 2025. He previously served as Cardinal Robert Prevost. Gemelli Hospital, the largest medical centre in Rome, serves as the principal healthcare facility for popes.