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The Vatican said surgery on Oct. 13 confirmed Pope Leo XIV has lung adenocarcinoma and removed the lower lobe of his right lung. The operation was successful with no complications, but the Vatican has not announced further treatment or whether he will travel to South America in November.
The Vatican said on Oct. 13 that surgery confirmed Pope Leo XIV has lung adenocarcinoma and removed the lower lobe of his right lung. The operation was successful and had no complications, according to the Vatican’s medical bulletin; the pope’s recovery will determine what happens next, including whether he can make a planned South America trip in November.
The Vatican said preoperative tests had raised suspicion of cancer, and examination during surgery confirmed the diagnosis. Doctors performed a radical removal of the lobe, which the Vatican press office described as indicating that the team removed all suspect tissue. The bulletin did not say whether additional treatment would be needed.
Leo, 71, was in the operating room for about three hours, while the surgery itself lasted approximately 90 minutes. A team led by Gemelli Hospital’s chief thoracic surgeon, Stefano Margaritora, performed the operation in Rome. The Vatican said doctors were not currently discussing chemotherapy or other therapies.
The pope had disclosed a small, localized lung nodule during his Sunday noon prayer and said it would be removed. The Vatican canceled his audiences through Oct. 20. He is staying in a hospital room near the papal apartment at Gemelli, which is undergoing renovations, the Vatican press office said.
Recovery May Affect November Travel
The diagnosis puts the pope’s recovery at the center of decisions about his public schedule and overseas commitments. His planned Nov. 6–17 visit to Uruguay, Argentina and Peru would be the longest trip of his papacy so far. The itinerary calls for more than 19,000 miles of travel, a dozen flights and two helicopter rides, as well as a substantial altitude change in Peru.
Those demands make the timing of his return to travel a practical question for the Vatican and the countries expecting him. The report cited oncologists as saying patients are often advised not to fly for three weeks after surgery. That interval could leave little margin before the planned departure, and the pope’s actual recovery may affect whether the schedule is feasible.
The diagnosis also marks the first major health problem publicly disclosed during Leo’s 17-month papacy, according to the report. The Vatican’s updates have provided details about the nodule and operation, while leaving the course of his recovery and any further care open.
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From Lung Nodule to Surgery
A lung nodule is a small abnormal area, less than three centimeters across, that may appear on a scan. Nodules can be benign or malignant. The report says surgery may be recommended both to determine what a nodule is and to treat a cancer while it remains localized. In Leo’s case, the Vatican said preoperative tests had raised concern and surgery established the diagnosis.
Before the operation, oncologists quoted in the report described the pope’s prognosis as “excellent” if the nodule proved cancerous and had been removed at an early stage. That assessment was made before surgery; the report does not provide a post-operative prognosis or further clinical details.
The report also identifies a 1985 hospitalization for typhoid fever as an earlier episode in Leo’s medical history. He was then a young missionary priest in Peru. In a 2025 biography interview, Leo recalled that illness as a significant moment in his decision to remain in Peru. The current lung diagnosis is a separate development, and no link between the two episodes was reported.
““The surgery was successful, and there were no complications.””
— The Vatican medical bulletin
Treatment and Travel Still Open
The Vatican has not said whether Leo will need treatment beyond surgery, provided a detailed recovery timetable or announced a decision on the South America trip. Its statement that doctors are not currently speaking of chemotherapy or other therapies describes the present discussion; it does not settle what care may be considered later.
The report also gives no cancer stage, pathology details beyond the diagnosis, or post-surgery prognosis. The preoperative outlook cited from oncologists should not be treated as a final assessment after the operation. The Vatican has not said when it expects to provide further medical updates.
Medical Updates Before the Trip
The next reported milestone is Leo’s recovery at Gemelli and the end of the canceled audience period on Oct. 20. The Vatican’s subsequent statements may clarify whether he will resume public duties and whether doctors recommend any further care.
A decision on the planned November itinerary has not been announced. The pope is scheduled to visit Uruguay, Argentina and Peru from Nov. 6 to 17, but the operation’s outcome alone does not confirm that he can travel. The Vatican will need to address the trip as his recovery progresses.
Key Questions
What cancer does Pope Leo XIV have?
The Vatican said surgery confirmed lung adenocarcinoma, a type of lung cancer.What surgery did he undergo?
Doctors removed the lower lobe of his right lung. The Vatican said the operation was successful and had no complications.Will Pope Leo need chemotherapy?
The Vatican said doctors were not currently discussing chemotherapy or other therapies. It has not announced whether additional treatment will be needed.Will he travel to South America in November?
The Vatican has not said whether the Nov. 6–17 trip to Uruguay, Argentina and Peru will go ahead. The decision remains dependent on his recovery.Source: rss
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