Pope Leo XIV Diagnosed With Lung Cancer After Surgery to Remove Part of Right Lung

Pope Leo XIV underwent surgery on Tuesday, October 13, at Rome’s Agostino Gemelli University Policlinic, and tests confirmed that the 71-year-old pontiff has lung cancer, the Vatican announced.

Doctors removed the lower lobe of his right lung along with the cancerous growth. The Vatican said the operation lasted about 90 minutes, was successful, and that there were no complications. The pope spent about three hours in the operating room in total.

The diagnosis is pulmonary adenocarcinoma, the most common form of lung cancer. The Vatican said the diagnosis had been suspected from preoperative tests and was confirmed during surgery. The pope’s lymph nodes were also removed and are being tested to determine whether the cancer has spread. The Vatican said doctors have not yet discussed chemotherapy or other treatment pending the test results.

In an update on Wednesday morning, the Vatican said the pope’s recovery was progressing as expected. Blood tests and a chest X-ray showed normal postoperative results, and Leo has begun walking and eating normally, alongside respiratory physiotherapy. Vatican sources said he even asked for dinner after the operation.

The pope announced the operation himself at his Sunday Angelus in St Peter’s Square on October 11, telling crowds that doctors had detected the growth at a very early stage. This is the first major health scare of his tenure; Leo, the first US-born pope, was elected in May 2025.

Well-wishers included US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who said he was “united in prayer” for the pope’s health, and Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, who said his “thoughts and prayers” were with the pontiff.

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