POPE LEO DIAGNOSED WITH LUNG CANCER, HAD ‘SUCCESSFUL’ SURGERY: VATICAN

Wed 14 October 2026:

Pope Leo XIV’s surgery to remove a lung nodule was completed Tuesday, according to the Vatican, which later added that a surgical procedure confirmed he has lung cancer.

The Vatican said earlier in a statement that the operation was “successfully completed, on time and as planned,” and that the pontiff has returned to his room.

The nodule was discovered during routine checks, was well-localized and in its early stages during the operation that took place at Rome’s Gemelli hospital, according to the Vatican.

The surgical team was led by Stefano Margaritora, head of the hospital’s thoracic surgery unit.

The Vatican later said the pope has been diagnosed with lung cancer.

__________________________________________________________________________

https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029VaAtNxX8fewmiFmN7N22

__________________________________________________________________________

“An intraoperative histological examination confirmed the diagnosis of lung adenocarcinoma, as suspected from the preoperative examinations,” Vatican News reported, citing doctors.

Lung adenocarcinoma is known as the most common subtype of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), accounting for roughly 40% of all lung cancer cases.

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,” according to the report.

The surgery comes ahead of an official Latin America tour scheduled for November 6-17, with stops planned across Uruguay, Argentina and Peru.

It is unclear whether his recovery will affect the ambitious itinerary, which includes a dozen flights, two helicopter rides and significant altitude changes in Peru.

The pope told reporters on Sunday that he intends to make the journey.

SOURCE: INDEPENDENT PRESS AND NEWS AGENCIES

__________________________________________________________________________

FOLLOW INDEPENDENT PRESS:

WhatsApp CHANNEL
https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029VaAtNxX8fewmiFmN7N22