Pope Leo XIV has resumed working and celebrating Mass while recovering from lung cancer surgery in Rome, with doctors reporting encouraging progress as additional tests determine whether further treatment will be necessary.
By yourNEWS Media Newsroom
Pope Leo XIV is recovering well following surgery to remove a cancerous portion of his right lung, with doctors reporting normal postoperative test results and significant improvement in his mobility, the Vatican announced Thursday, October 15.
The 71-year-old pontiff has resumed working from his hospital room at Rome’s Gemelli hospital, reviewing documents and participating in religious activities just two days after undergoing surgery for lung adenocarcinoma.
According to an official Vatican medical update, routine examinations conducted Thursday showed that the operated lung was healing appropriately and that the pope was recovering without reported complications.
“The chest X-ray showed good recovery of the lung that underwent surgery,” his doctors reported. “Overall, his postoperative recovery is progressing normally.”
The assessment was issued by Dr. Luigi Carbone, Leo’s personal physician, and Dr. Stefano Margaritora, head of thoracic surgery at Gemelli hospital.
Doctors said the pope was independently performing his daily activities and had completed a physiotherapy session involving a full range of physical movements.
The encouraging results follow Tuesday’s operation, during which surgeons removed the lower lobe of Leo’s right lung after identifying a suspicious nodule.
Tissue examined during the procedure confirmed the presence of adenocarcinoma, the most common type of lung cancer.
The operation lasted approximately 90 minutes, with the pope spending about three hours in the operating room. Vatican officials reported that the surgery proceeded successfully and without complications.
Following the procedure, Leo regained consciousness normally and returned to his room on the hospital’s 10th floor, where medical personnel have continued monitoring his recovery.
Wednesday’s blood tests and chest X-ray also produced results within the expected range for the type of surgery performed. Doctors subsequently began respiratory physiotherapy and encouraged the pope to walk, eat normally and gradually resume physical activity.
By Thursday, Leo had progressed to full mobility exercises and was moving independently.
The Vatican also confirmed that the pontiff had returned to his regular responsibilities, reviewing documents and conducting limited work from the hospital.
He celebrated Mass for a second consecutive day alongside other priests in a specially prepared chapel near his hospital room.
Despite the positive postoperative findings, physicians are still awaiting additional laboratory results that will help determine the extent of the cancer and whether further treatment is necessary.
Those tests will examine the tumor’s molecular characteristics and assess whether cancer cells were present beyond the removed lung tissue.
The findings will be important in determining whether surgery alone was sufficient or whether additional treatment should be considered.
The Vatican has not announced a final cancer stage or treatment plan.
Leo’s hospitalization has also raised questions about his upcoming international travel schedule.
The pope is scheduled to visit South America from November 6 through November 17, with stops planned in Peru, Uruguay and Argentina.
Asked Thursday whether the trip would proceed, Vatican spokesman Matteo Bruni referred journalists to comments Leo made Sunday when he publicly disclosed the lung nodule and his need for surgery.
“Thank you for your prayers for the pastoral visit I will make to Peru,” the pope said in Spanish while addressing a group of Peruvian visitors.
The Vatican has not announced changes to the trip, although the pontiff’s medical recovery and pending test results could influence future scheduling decisions.
Leo, who was born in Chicago and previously served as a missionary and bishop in Peru, has maintained close ties to South America throughout his religious career.
His planned November visit would be a significant international engagement following his cancer diagnosis.
According to The Associated Press, Leo is expected to remain hospitalized until at least October 20, with public engagements suspended during the initial recovery period.
For now, Vatican officials are emphasizing the pope’s steady improvement, his return to limited work and the absence of reported postoperative complications.
While doctors continue evaluating the cancer and determining whether additional treatment is needed, the latest medical findings indicate that Leo’s recovery from surgery is proceeding as expected.
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