Pope Leo XIV has been diagnosed with lung adenocarcinoma, a form of lung cancer, after surgeons in Rome removed the lower lobe of his right lung on Tuesday, the Vatican said.
The 71-year-old pontiff underwent thoracic surgery at Agostino Gemelli University Hospital, according to a statement from the Holy See Press Office reported by Fox News.
The diagnosis was confirmed through a tissue examination carried out during the operation, and the Vatican said the result was consistent with findings from tests done before surgery. He was welcomed at the hospital by its health director, Andrea Cambieri.
Leo spent about three hours in the operating room, although the procedure itself lasted roughly 90 minutes. Surgeons used a video-assisted technique.
Doctors said the operation was successful and that there were no complications.
According to the statement from Dr. Luigi Carbone and Professor Stefano Margaritora, the pope woke normally after surgery and, following a short period of observation, returned to his room on the hospital’s 10th floor.
Leo disclosed the problem publicly before the operation, speaking after an Angelus address in St. Peter’s Square. “Doctors found a small lump in the lung,” he said. “It was identified at a very early stage and well situated.”
He said his doctors considered it appropriate to intervene, and that he had followed their advice and decided to have the lump removed.
At the time, he said the operation was “already scheduled for the next few days.” “I thank you for your spiritual closeness and I rely on your prayer,” he told the crowd.
The diagnosis came as a surprise. Leo, who became the first American pope in May 2025, had no previously known health problems and is known for keeping an active lifestyle.
According to The Associated Press, he regularly plays tennis and swims at the papal summer retreat in Castel Gandolfo.
The pope is scheduled to make a major international trip from Nov. 6 to 17, with planned stops in Uruguay, Argentina and Peru.
Fox News reported that it remains unclear whether the surgery and his recovery will affect those plans.
In the same remarks, Leo renewed his appeal for peace in Ukraine. “The war in the martyred Ukraine continues to create suffering, even beyond its borders,” he said, especially in the poorest countries, where many people depend on exports of cereals and grains.
