Pope Leo to have surgery to remove nodule on his lung
Pope Leo XIV is recovering at a Rome hospital after undergoing a successful surgery to remove a lower lobe of his right lung. The Vatican announced that medical tests following the Tuesday operation confirmed a diagnosis of lung adenocarcinoma, a common form of lung cancer. The pontiff had previously stated during an address in St. Peter Square that doctors discovered a nodule on his lung at an early stage. Bishops, clergy, religious, and faithful worldwide have joined in prayer for the pope ahead of and following the medical procedure.
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- ✓ Pope Leo XIV is recovering at a Rome hospital after a successful surgery to remove part of his right lung.
- ✓ A medical bulletin from the Vatican confirmed a diagnosis of lung adenocarcinoma after the procedure.
- ✓ The pontiff announced on Sunday that doctors had found a nodule on his lung which was detected at an early stage and well localized.
- ✓ Pope Leo XIV was admitted to the hospital on Tuesday ahead of the scheduled operation.
What changed
The Vatican issued a medical bulletin confirming that the surgery was successfully completed and that the removed lung nodule was diagnosed as lung adenocarcinoma.
Live updates
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Pope Leo XIV Undergoes Successful Surgery to Remove Lung Cancer
Pope Leo XIV is recovering at a Rome hospital after undergoing a successful surgery to remove a lower lobe of his right lung. The Vatican announced that medical tests following the Tuesday operation confirmed a diagnosis of lung adenocarcinoma, a common form of lung cancer. The pontiff had previously stated during an address in St. Peter Square that doctors discovered a nodule on his lung at an early stage. Bishops, clergy, religious, and faithful worldwide have joined in prayer for the pope ahead of and following the medical procedure.
Why it matters
Pope Leo XIV, born Robert Francis Prevost in Chicago, leads the worldwide Catholic Church after his election on May 8, 2025. The Vatican has provided an unusual level of transparency concerning the health of the American pope throughout the diagnostic and surgical process. Previous leadership changes and health transparency set a high standard for modern papal administration.
What is confirmed
- Pope Leo XIV is recovering at a Rome hospital after a successful surgery to remove part of his right lung.
- A medical bulletin from the Vatican confirmed a diagnosis of lung adenocarcinoma after the procedure.
- The pontiff announced on Sunday that doctors had found a nodule on his lung which was detected at an early stage and well localized.
- Pope Leo XIV was admitted to the hospital on Tuesday ahead of the scheduled operation.
What to watch next
- Vatican medical bulletins detailing the post-operative recovery of Pope Leo XIV
- Statements regarding the pope's expected timeline for hospital discharge and resumption of duties
confidence 100%Sources used for this update (18)
- en.wikipedia.org — Pope - Wikipedia
- en.wikipedia.org — Pope Leo XIV - Wikipedia
- The Washington Post — Pope will have surgery after doctors discover nodule in his lung
- CNN — Pope Leo announces he will undergo surgery to remove lung nodule
- Vatican News — Pope Leo XIV renews appeal for peace in Ukraine
- The Guardian — Pope Leo to have surgery to remove nodule on his lung
- Yahoo — Pope to be operated on for lump on lung
- OSV News — Bishops, clergy, religious and faithful join in prayer for Pope Leo ahead of lung surgery
- Rolling Stone — Pope Leo XIV to Undergo Surgery After Nodule Found in Lung
- WBUR — Pope Leo XIV to undergo lung surgery this week
- edition.cnn.com — Pope Leo in the hospital as surgery to remove growth on his lung scheduled for Tuesday | CNN
- abcnews.com — Pope Leo to be admitted to hospital on Tuesday for lung nodule surgery, Vatican says
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