Following surgery to remove a cancerous lung nodule, Pope Leo XIV has received medical clearance from further cancer treatment. On October 21, the Vatican confirmed that final tissue examinations found the cancer localized, with doctors determining that additional therapy was unnecessary.
The 71-year-old pontiff underwent surgery at Rome’s Gemelli Hospital after routine medical tests detected a lung nodule at an early stage. Surgeons removed a lobe of his left lung, and subsequent examinations identified pulmonary adenocarcinoma, the most common type of lung cancer.
According to the Vatican’s medical bulletin, Leo spent approximately three hours in the operating room, with the surgery itself lasting about 90 minutes. The procedure was completed without complications, and the pope returned to his hospital room afterward.
“The results have confirmed that the condition was a pulmonary adenocarcinoma and that the disease was localized,” his doctors, Luigi Carbone and Stefano Margaritora, said.
Leo returned to the Vatican on October 17 and resumed public appearances the following day, leading the Sunday Angelus prayer. He thanked supporters for their prayers and expressed solidarity with people experiencing illness, saying he would gradually resume his activities.
Despite the encouraging findings, doctors will continue monitoring his recovery through follow-up examinations, including periodic CT scans to check for cancer recurrence. An American Lung Association medical expert also noted that respiratory physiotherapy can help restore breathing capacity following such surgery.
The medical update comes ahead of Leo’s planned 12-day South American trip beginning November 6, covering Peru, Uruguay, and Argentina. Although the Vatican has not officially confirmed the journey, surgeon Margaritora said he saw no clinical reason to cancel it.
The demanding itinerary includes multiple flights and a visit to Peru’s high-altitude city of Cuzco, making the pope’s recovery particularly relevant to his travel plans.
