On 13 October, Pope Leo XIV underwent thoracic surgery at the Gemelli Hospital in Rome, during which the lower lobe of his right lung was removed. According to a medical bulletin issued by the Holy See Press Office, an intraoperative histological examination confirmed lung adenocarcinoma, which had been suspected on the basis of pre-operative examinations.
Briefly about the main points
- Pope Leo XIV had the lower lobe of his right lung removed.
- The Vatican has announced that adenocarcinoma was confirmed during the operation.
- The procedure itself lasted around 90 minutes and went smoothly.
How did the operation go?
Pros. data According to the Vatican, the surgical procedure itself lasted approximately 90 minutes, whilst the Pontiff spent a total of around three hours in the operating theatre. The operation was carried out using video-assisted techniques to ensure the radical removal of the affected part of the lung.
Doctors reported that the procedure had been successful and had gone without complications. After a short period of observation, the Pope returned to his room on the 10th floor of the hospital.
Post-procedure condition
As of the morning of 14 October, the first night following the operation had passed without incident, the Holy See Press Office reported. The Vatican has not revised the previously announced estimated length of hospitalisation — approximately one week.
11 October Leo XIV He explained that a small nodule had been discovered in his lung during a medical examination. The Vatican clarified that the examinations were routine; according to information provided by the Holy See, there were no symptoms that would have prompted a lung examination.
What other data is still to come?
The next step should be to examine the removed tissue. No public information has been released regarding the stage of the cancer, the condition of the lymph nodes, the presence or absence of metastases, the prognosis or the plan for further treatment.
Pre-operative examinations enabled the doctors to determine the location of the nodule and the approach to be taken for the procedure. The patient himself Leo XIV He had previously described it as minor and localised, but the Vatican had not released any official information regarding the stage of the illness.
