In brief
Pope Leo XIV underwent a 90‑minute operation at Rome’s Gemelli Hospital to remove the lower lobe of his right lung, diagnosed as adenocarcinoma. Doctors report the pontiff is walking, has resumed a normal diet, and is resting comfortably in the hospital. The removal was deemed radical and complication‑free, with physiotherapy underway. A week of monitored recovery is expected. The news has stunned Catholics worldwide, raising questions about the future of the Catholic hierarchy.
Pope Leo XIV’s recovery from surgery to remove a lower lobe of his lung is "progressing as expected", his doctors have said.
The 71‑year‑old pontiff has started to walk and has "resumed a normal diet" following the roughly 90‑minute procedure, the medics said in an update shared by the Vatican.
The Pope was diagnosed with lung cancer after the surgery at Rome’s Gemelli Hospital on Tuesday afternoon, which the Vatican said had been "successful" and proceeded without complications.
Blood tests and an X‑ray early on Wednesday showed his recovery was "proceeding normally", the doctors said, and he has also undergone respiratory physiotherapy.
The whole lower lobe of the Pope’s right lung was removed "to ensure the procedure was radical", the Vatican said following the surgery.
"After the operation, the Pope awoke normally and returned after a brief period of observation to his room," it said earlier, before spending a "peaceful night" at the hospital.
The pontiff is expected to remain there for about a week as he recovers.
What is lung adenocarcinoma?
Adenocarcinomas develop in cells that produce mucus and are one of the most common types of lung cancer. The long‑term prognosis depends on a number of things, including the stage of the cancer when identified and the person’s overall health. The earlier it is spotted, the better, and treatments have improved over the last few decades.
Some adenocarcinomas are picked up early – before symptoms develop – during routine tests. At later stages, lung cancer can cause a persistent cough, breathlessness, fatigue and weight loss.
The news has shaken Catholics worldwide, many of whom will have recent memories of Pope Francis’s hospital visits.
