Pope Leo XIV's Lung Cancer Detected Incidentally, Surgeon Says Surgery Was Routine
Pope Leo XIV's lung adenocarcinoma was discovered during an unrelated examination, and a thoracic surgeon described the operation as uncomplicated and the pope's recovery swift.
A thoracic surgeon at Rome's Agostino Gemelli University Hospital said Pope Leo XIV's lung cancer was found "entirely by chance" during a routine examination for another condition. Dr. Stefano Margaritora, director of the hospital's thoracic surgery unit, told Vatican News that the tumor was located at the base of the right lung and would likely have been missed if it had been situated higher.
"The Holy Father falls into the category of people who discover they have lung cancer entirely by chance — not because they are undergoing preventive screening, but because they undergo examinations for other reasons," Margaritora said.
The pope, 71, showed no respiratory symptoms and felt well, the surgeon added. The cancer was identified during surgery to remove a lung nodule, which proceeded without complications. Margaritora described the pope as an "ideal patient" because he did not cause any difficulties for the medical team.
"I am not saying that to flatter him. He truly did not cause the slightest problem for the team caring for him," the doctor said.
After a four-day hospital stay, the pope was discharged on Saturday and resumed some duties, including a phone conversation with Russian President Vladimir Putin and meetings with senior Vatican officials. He is scheduled to travel to Uruguay, Argentina and Peru in early November.