Pope Leo diagnosed with lung cancer

The Vatican has not released information about the staging of the cancer, or the pope’s prognosis.

Pope Leo XIV has been diagnosed with pulmonary adenocarcinoma, a common form of lung cancer, the Vatican has announced.

Pope Leo. Credit: © Stefano Costantino/SOPA Images via ZUMA Press Wire

The pope underwent surgery on Tuesday at the Gamelli hospital to remove a nodule from his lung.

The Vatican announced that the 90-minute surgery was carried out successfully, and “the lower lobe of the right lung was removed using video-assisted surgery.”

“The procedure was successful, with no complications,” the Vatican said. “An extemporaneous histological examination confirmed the diagnosis of lung adenocarcinoma, as suspected by pre-operative tests.”

Pope Leo had announced Sunday that he would be having surgery to remove a nodule from his lung. He said that the nodule was small, localized, and “was detected at a very early stage.”

The Vatican did not release information about the staging of the cancer. Nor did it disclose whether the pope will undergo further treatment, or what his prognosis is.

Adenocarcinoma of the lungs is a common and moderately aggressive form of lung cancer. It often causes coughing, shortness of breath, and chest pain. Survival rates for this form of cancer vary greatly depending on when they are detected and whether they exhibit certain gene mutations.

When caught in the very early stages, pulmonary adenocarcinomas can sometimes be treated by surgery alone. When more advanced, they may require chemotherapy or radiation treatment as well as surgery.

Adenocarcinomas of the lungs often display gene mutations that make them responsive to targeted therapies. When these gene mutations are present, the prognosis is significantly better than when they are not present.

Pope Leo is expected to spend up to a week at the hospital recovering from his surgery.