BREAKING News Pope Leo XIV's Surgery Reveals Cancer in the Lung Nodule Removed at the Hospital in the Latest from the Vatican

Pope Leo XIV underwent surgery, on October 13, at Gemelli Hospital, with the lower lobe of his right lung removed.
The Pope's surgery lasted approximately 90 minutes and was performed using video-assisted techniques, and was successfully completed. The medical bulletin released that evening stated that "the extemporaneous histological examination confirmed the diagnosis of lung adenocarcinoma, as suspected by pre-operative tests." The pope awoke normally and returned to his room "after a brief observation period."

In a successful, uncomplicated, approximately 90-minute operation, Pope Leo XIV had the lower lobe of his right lung removed, and an extemporaneous histological examination confirmed the diagnosis of lung adenocarcinoma. The medical bulletin containing news on Pope Leo's health arrived this evening at 9:53 PM, just over two hours after his surgery in the afternoon, at the Gemelli Hospital.

A Telegram message from the Press Office shortly before 8:00 PM (Rome time) announced that the Pope's surgery, conducted by the thoracic surgery team led by Professor Stefano Margaritora, had "completed successfully, according to the expected methods and timeframe" and that the Pope had "returned to his room" on the tenth floor of the Policlinico, in the ward adjacent to the papal apartment—where Pope Francis was hospitalized a year and a half ago—currently under renovation.

The Holy See Press Office announced that the operation to remove a lung nodule on Leo XIV was concluded "in the expected time and manner": 

In the bulletin released by the Holy See Press Office, Dr. Luigi Carbone, Director of the Vatican City State Health and Hygiene Department, and Professor Margaritora announced: "This afternoon, the Holy Father underwent thoracic surgery as scheduled. To make the procedure radical, the lower lobe of the right lung was removed using video-assisted surgery. The extemporaneous histological examination confirmed the diagnosis of lung adenocarcinoma, as suspected by pre-operative tests."
Operation lasting approximately three hours

"The Holy Father," the statement continues, "was in the operating room for approximately three hours; the operation lasted approximately 90 minutes. The procedure was successful, and there were no complications." After the operation, Leo XIV "awake normally and, after a brief observation period, returned to his room on the tenth floor."

Medical Team
Professor Margaritora was assisted by Professor Elisa Meacci, Dr. Maria Teresa Congedo, and Dr. Leonardo Petracca Ciaravella. The anesthesiology team consisted of Professor Massimo Antonelli and Drs. Giovanni Punzo and Giuseppe Bello.
Examination and hospitalization

Postoperative tests and examination of the removed material will follow in the coming days. From the preoperative analyses, the doctors already knew how and where to proceed, and the term "radical" indicates that they chose not to leave any of the findings untouched and that everything was done to completely remove the tumor.


Updates will be available from the Holy See Press Office tomorrow on how Pope Leo spent the night and any initial findings from his post-operative tests. Meanwhile, the Pope is being accompanied by those who already assist him daily in the papal apartment. Upon awakening, he immediately appeared alert and oriented, and, Vatican spokesman Matteo Bruni told reporters, "when he returned to his room, he asked for dinner."