In brief
Pope Leo XIV has begun walking after a 90‑minute operation that removed the lower lobe of his right lung. Doctors confirm the recovery is progressing normally, with blood work, imaging and physiotherapy all positive. The pope is expected to stay in hospital for a week while he heals, and the case has sparked renewed attention to early detection and treatment of lung adenocarcinoma.
Pope Leo XIV, 71, has begun walking after a successful removal of the lower lobe of his right lung. Doctors say his recovery is proceeding as expected.
The 90‑minute operation, carried out at Rome’s Gemelli Hospital on Tuesday afternoon, was performed after a CT scan revealed a well‑contained nodule the Vatican had deemed likely malignant. The Pope was diagnosed with lung adenocarcinoma, the most common type of lung cancer.
Post‑operative tests including blood work and an X‑ray confirmed the patient was healing normally. He has also been receiving respiratory physiotherapy and has resumed a normal diet.
According to the Vatican’s statement, the entire lower lobe was removed “to ensure the procedure was radical.” He will remain in hospital for roughly a week as he continues to recover.
The news has reverberated across the Catholic community. Pope Leo’s predecessor, who died last year, had a lung lobectomy earlier in life, and many are watching this case closely.
Early detection has become the cornerstone of improving lung cancer outcomes. Advances in imaging technologies and AI‑assisted analysis allow for earlier intervention, potentially turning once‑fatal cancers into treatable conditions.
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