Pope Leo XIV Diagnosed With Lung Cancer; Recovering After Surgery, Vatican Says
The 71-year-old pontiff had the lower lobe of his right lung removed Tuesday at Rome's Gemelli Hospital, where doctors confirmed lung adenocarcinoma. The Vatican said Wednesday his recovery is progressing as expected.
Pope Leo XIV has been diagnosed with lung cancer, the Vatican said, after surgeons removed the lower lobe of his right lung during an operation Tuesday at Rome’s Gemelli Hospital. The 71-year-old pontiff is recovering at the hospital, and the Vatican said Wednesday that his condition is progressing as expected.
According to the Holy See Press Office, Leo underwent blood tests and a chest X-ray Wednesday morning. “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 said, attributing the assessment to Dr. Luigi Carbone and Professor Stefano Margaritora. The Vatican said the pope’s first night after surgery passed calmly, that he has begun respiratory physiotherapy and walking around his room, and that he has resumed eating normally.
Leo disclosed the planned surgery himself on Sunday, telling worshippers after the Angelus prayer at St. Peter’s Square that doctors had found “a small lump in the lung” during a recent checkup. “It was identified at a very early stage and well situated,” he said, adding that he decided to have the operation on his doctors’ advice.
What lung adenocarcinoma is
The diagnosis, lung adenocarcinoma, is the most common subtype of non-small cell lung cancer, the category that accounts for 80% to 85% of lung cancers, according to the Lung Cancer Foundation of America, cited by Reuters. It represents roughly 40% of all lung cancer cases. The disease forms in glandular cells lining the air sacs, is typically found in the outer parts of the lungs, and tends to grow more slowly than some other forms, which increases the chances of catching it before it spreads.
Smoking remains the main risk factor, but adenocarcinoma is also the most common type of lung cancer among people who have never smoked, Reuters reported. Leo is not known to have been a smoker. The Vatican said the tumor was found during a routine health check.
The operation, a lobectomy, is the standard treatment when the cancer is confined to a single lobe: surgeons remove the entire lobe to take out all of the cancerous tissue while preserving as much lung function as possible. Leo spent about three hours in the operating room, though the surgery itself lasted around 90 minutes, and doctors said there were no complications. The diagnosis was confirmed by tissue examination during the operation, consistent with preoperative tests, the Vatican said.
The Vatican has not said whether the pope will need further treatment, such as chemotherapy, radiotherapy, targeted drugs or immunotherapy, and has not disclosed the size of the tumor or whether lymph nodes were affected. According to the American Cancer Society, cited by Reuters, the five-year relative survival rate for non-small cell lung cancer is 67% when the disease remains confined to the lung, falling to about 40% when it has spread to nearby tissues or lymph nodes. Medical experts cited by Reuters caution that outcomes vary widely with tumor size, lymph node involvement, age and overall health, and that people diagnosed now may fare better than older statistics suggest because treatments keep improving.
Reporting based on coverage by Fox News and Reuters.
