Pope Leo XIV is recovering as expected following surgery to remove his lower right lung lobe after a lung cancer diagnosis, his doctors said Wednesday.
The 71-year-old pontiff underwent the roughly 90-minute procedure Tuesday at Rome's Gemelli Hospital. The Vatican said the operation was successful and proceeded without complications. Blood tests and an X-ray early Wednesday showed recovery progressing normally. He has started walking, resumed a normal diet and undergone respiratory physiotherapy, the medical team said in an update shared by the Vatican.
The Pope was diagnosed with lung adenocarcinoma, one of the most common types of lung cancer. He had announced Sunday he would have surgery after doctors found what he described as a "well-contained" nodule on his lung "at an early stage." The entire lower lobe of his right lung was removed "to ensure the procedure was radical," the Vatican said. A Vatican source told AFP that further tests were carried out to see whether the cancer had spread.
The Pope had no symptoms of infection or illness, the Vatican stressed. He is expected to remain hospitalized for about a week.
Lung adenocarcinomas develop in cells that produce mucus. Long-term prognosis depends on the cancer stage when identified and overall health. The earlier detection occurs, the better the outlook. Treatments have improved significantly over recent decades. At later stages, lung cancer can cause persistent cough, breathlessness, fatigue and weight loss.
The diagnosis has affected Catholics worldwide. Pope Francis, Leo's predecessor who died last year, also had part of a lung removed in his youth before suffering respiratory infections later in life.