Pope Leo diagnosed with lung cancer, has surgery to remove part of organ

London: Pope Leo XIV has emerged from surgery after doctors found he had lung cancer, leading them to remove the lower lobe of his right lung.

The Vatican said the surgeons found the pontiff had a lung adenocarcinoma, as they suspected after examinations and preoperative tests before he had the operation on Tuesday in Rome.

Leo, 71, was in the operating room for about three hours and underwent surgery for about 90 minutes, the Vatican said in a statement on Tuesday night (about 7am on Wednesday, AEST).

“The surgery was successful, and there were no complications,” the statement said.

“Following the operation, the Pope awoke normally and, after a brief period of observation, returned to his room on the 10th floor.”

Leo had walked into the Gemelli hospital in Rome through the main entrance earlier in the day and waved to dozens of well-wishers who had gathered to greet him. The Vatican said the surgery would be performed by a team led by Gemelli’s chief thoracic surgeon, Dr. Stefano Margaritora.

The doctors said their examination confirmed the diagnosis of lung adenocarcinoma.

“To ensure a radical resection, the lower lobe of the right lung was removed using a video-assisted technique,” the Vatican said.

News service AFP reported that a Vatican source said further tests were being carried out to determine if the cancer had spread.

The Lung Cancer Foundation of America describes lung adenocarcinoma as one of the most common forms of lung cancer, accounting for about 40 per cent of all lung cancers in the US.

“Whatever the stage and whatever the treatment, more people are living with this disease than ever before,” it says. Treatments include surgery, chemotherapy, and radiation, it says.

Oncologists said before the operation that even if the nodule turned out to be cancerous, Leo’s prognosis was “excellent” because it would have been removed at an early stage, the Associated Press reported.

The Vatican on Monday cancelled all Leo’s audiences until at least October 20. He held a general audience in St Peter’s Square last Wednesday when he thanked pilgrims including visitors from Australia.

Leo revealed the concerns about his medical condition in a statement on social media shortly before he was due to go to hospital.

“Dear friends, during some recent medical examinations, the doctors found a small, localised nodule in my lung,” he posted on X on Sunday in Rome (midnight that night, AEST).

“It was detected at a very early stage and is well-localised. The doctors believe that it is best to intervene, so, following their advice, I have decided to undergo surgery to remove it. The operation is already scheduled to take place in the coming days.

“I thank you for your spiritual closeness and entrust myself to your prayers.”

The Gemelli hospital has a papal apartment that past popes have used, complete with a private chapel on the 10th floor, but Leo is staying in a nearby room since the papal apartment is currently undergoing renovations, according to the Vatican press office.

Vatican News said that following the operation on Tuesday, Leo was served dinner in his room and spent the evening in the company of his secretaries and other Vatican staff.

The Pope is due to travel to Latin America in early November for a major visit to several countries including Peru, where he spent a decade working with local communities during his time in the Augustine order.

The Vatican estimated that about 800,000 people attended a mass with Leo in Paris in late September during his visit to France, drawing bigger crowds than some expected.

The Catholic Church in Australia is working on plans for Leo to visit Australia in 2028, and Prime Minister Anthony Albanese formally invited the Pope to visit when they spoke in Rome in May last year. The Vatican is yet to announce a visit.

Cardinal Pietro Parolin, the Vatican’s Secretary of State, described Leo as showing “great composure” on Monday evening ahead of the operation the next day.

“We are confident, but, of course, we accompany him with our prayers,” Parolin told reporters on Monday, the ANSA news service reported.

“Am I worried? Yes, because I certainly didn’t expect something like this.”