Pope Leo
Alessandra Tarantino/AP
hide caption
Alessandra Tarantino/AP
Pope Leo XIV underwent surgery on Tuesday to remove a cancerous tumor in his lung, the Vatican announced.
The operation, performed at Rome’s Gemelli Hospital, involved the removal of the lower lobe of the pope’s right lung, according to a statement from Leo’s doctors released by the church. Lung tissue examined after the operation confirmed an earlier test revealing a diagnosis of lung adenocarcinoma, the Vatican said.
Lung adenocarcinoma is the most common form of lung cancer in the United States, accounting for approximately 40% of all lung cancers, according to the Lung Cancer Foundation of America.
Pope’s operation, which doctors said was a success, lasted about 90 minutes, after which Leo woke up normally and, after a brief observation period, returned to his room on the 10th floor of the hospital.
At 71, Leo is relatively young for a pope – and remains physically active. He trains every week, including regular tennis matches with his personal secretary and enjoys riding horses at Castel Gandolfo, the papal retreat.
It is known that Leo does not smoke, but there is a history of cancer in the Pope’s family. On Tuesday, the Vatican announced that Leo’s older brother Louis, who lives in Florida, was currently hospitalized with a form of cancer. And Leo’s mother, Mildred, died of cancer in 1990 at the age of 77. In 1984, while living in Rome, the future pope wrote to several friends saying, “my mother continues to undergo chemotherapy treatments. … She’s a tough woman and she handles everything well, which makes it a little easier for me being so far from Chicago.
The Vatican says the pope has essentially released his public schedule for the next few days, at least until October 20. The Vatican has not yet announced any new treatments.
Gn headline
