In brief
After a successful surgery to remove a lung tumour, Pope Leo X has been declared cancer‑free and requires no further treatment. The 71‑year‑old pontiff was discharged from Rome’s Gemelli Hospital and returned to public duties in St Peter’s Square. The Vatican confirmed the tumour was confined to a single lobe and a further oncological assessment ruled out additional therapy. While recuperating, the Pope has continued his diplomatic outreach, calling for peace in Ukraine and preparing a Latin American tour.
The Vatican announced that 71‑year‑old Pope Leo X, who had a 90‑minute operation to remove a cancerous growth from his right lung on 13 October, no longer requires further treatment.
Lab tests on the removed tissue confirmed a localized lung adenocarcinoma and that no additional oncological therapy is needed.
Pope Leo was discharged from Rome’s Gemelli Hospital over the weekend and returned to St Peter’s Square on Wednesday for his first general audience since the operation.
The surgery, which involved excising the lower lobe of the right lung, was completed successfully and has left the pontiff in good health.
Alongside his recovery, Pope Leo has resumed diplomatic outreach, including phone calls to Russian President Vladimir Putin urging a cease‑fire in Oleshky and to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky encouraging dialogue and peace.
He has also confirmed his trip to Latin America is on schedule for early November.
