The Vatican says Pope Leo XIV has resumed eating, walking and respiratory therapy following successful surgery to remove a cancerous portion of his right lung, although additional tests are needed to determine whether further treatment will be necessary.
By yourNEWS Media Newsroom
Pope Leo XIV is recovering normally after undergoing surgery to remove a cancerous portion of his right lung, with doctors reporting Wednesday that the 71-year-old pontiff has resumed eating, walking and performing breathing exercises at Rome’s Gemelli hospital.
The Vatican’s latest medical update, issued by Dr. Luigi Carbone and thoracic surgeon Dr. Stefano Margaritora, said routine blood tests and a chest X-ray showed no unexpected complications following Tuesday’s operation.
“The Holy Father underwent respiratory physiotherapy and has begun walking in his room. He resumed his regular diet and had breakfast and lunch,” the doctors reported. “Recovery is proceeding as planned.”
The operation involved removing the lower lobe of Leo’s right lung after physicians discovered a suspicious nodule during medical examinations. Tissue analyzed during surgery confirmed lung adenocarcinoma, the most common form of lung cancer.
According to Vatican News, the minimally invasive procedure lasted approximately 90 minutes, although the pope spent about three hours in the operating room. Doctors reported that the surgery was successful and that he experienced no complications.
The Vatican said surgeons removed the affected lung lobe in an effort to eliminate all suspected cancerous tissue. However, additional pathology tests are necessary to determine whether the disease has spread to nearby lymph nodes or other areas.
Dr. Stephen Liu, a lung cancer specialist at Georgetown University’s Lombardi Comprehensive Cancer Center who is not involved in Leo’s care, said the cancer’s stage will be critical in determining treatment and prognosis.
“While we know the diagnosis, we now need to know the stage,” Liu said. “We now need to know how big it is, how many spots in the lung are involved. Is it just one nodule, or more than one, and the lymph nodes, are they cancerous?”
If the disease remains confined to the removed tissue, surgery may be sufficient. More advanced findings could require chemotherapy, immunotherapy or targeted medications.
Medical specialists say patients can often regain substantial lung function after removal of a single lobe, particularly when they were physically active before surgery. Leo regularly played tennis and swam before his hospitalization.
Dr. PierCarlo Gentile, head of radiation oncology at Rome’s San Pietro Fatebenefratelli Hospital, said patients undergoing similar minimally invasive procedures can sometimes resume walking within 48 to 72 hours. Recovery generally takes several weeks, depending on individual circumstances.
The pope’s diagnosis has also drawn attention to the Vatican’s historically guarded approach to papal health.
Leo disclosed the discovery of the lung nodule during his Sunday noon blessing, publicly announcing that doctors had recommended surgery. His comments marked an unusual degree of openness about a major health concern involving the leader of the Roman Catholic Church.
Giovanni Maria Vian, a church historian and former editor-in-chief of the Vatican newspaper L’Osservatore Romano, described the announcement as a major departure from previous practices.
“That was truly a revolution. It was like he was reading a medical bulletin himself,” Vian said.
Previous pontificates were frequently marked by limited medical disclosures. The Vatican kept Pope John XXIII’s stomach cancer diagnosis largely private before his death in 1963, while Pope John Paul II’s Parkinson’s disease was not formally confirmed until after his death in 2005.
Pope Francis provided more information about some of his medical problems but continued restricting certain health disclosures during his final illnesses.
Leo’s hospitalization has also created uncertainty surrounding his planned November 6–17 trip to Uruguay, Argentina and Peru.
The itinerary includes approximately 19,000 miles of travel, multiple flights and significant altitude changes. All papal audiences have been canceled through October 20, but the Vatican has not announced whether the South American journey will proceed.
Liu said the travel decision will depend largely on the cancer’s stage and whether additional treatment is required.
“If it is stage 1, he can complete these trips. If more treatment is needed, I would likely advise against the trips,” he said.
For now, doctors report that Leo’s postoperative recovery is proceeding as expected. The results of further tissue examinations will help determine the next steps in his treatment and whether his upcoming international commitments can continue as scheduled.
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