Pope Leo XIV Reveals Lung Cancer Diagnosis After Surgery in Rome

Pope Leo XIV underwent surgery at Rome's Gemelli Hospital on Tuesday, Oct. 13, 2026, where doctors confirmed lung cancer and removed the lower lobe of his right lung, the Vatican said. The 71-year-old pope is recovering after the procedure.

According to the Vatican medical bulletin, tests confirmed lung adenocarcinoma after the diagnosis had been suspected before surgery. The operation lasted about 90 minutes, while the pope spent about three hours in the operating room.

The Vatican described the removal as "radical," indicating doctors removed the affected lobe to eliminate suspected cancerous tissue. The Vatican has not announced further treatment plans while additional test results are pending.

"The surgery was successful, and there were no complications," said the Vatican statement.

Doctors are waiting for more information, including lymph node results, to determine whether the cancer has spread. The Vatican canceled all of Leo's audiences through Oct. 20 as he recovers.

Dr. Stephen Liu, a lung cancer expert at Georgetown's Lombardi Comprehensive Cancer Center, said the diagnosis still requires additional details to determine the disease stage.

"Adenocarcinoma is the most common (type of lung cancer), also with the most favorable prognosis," said Dr. Stephen Liu, a lung cancer expert at Georgetown's Lombardi Comprehensive Cancer Center.

Liu said the size of the cancer and whether lymph nodes are involved will influence possible treatment decisions. Options could include chemotherapy, immunotherapy combinations, or targeted therapies if needed.

"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?" said Dr. Stephen Liu, a lung cancer expert at Georgetown's Lombardi Comprehensive Cancer Center.

Oncologists said before the surgery that an early removal of a cancerous nodule could lead to a favorable outlook.

"excellent" said the medical experts describing Pope Leo XIV's prognosis before the operation.

Cardinal Kikuchi Tsutomu said he believed Leo wanted the surgery completed quickly so future travel plans would not be disrupted. The pope has a planned South America trip from Nov. 6-17 to Uruguay, Argentina and Peru, depending on recovery.

"He has decided to undergo surgery soon in order to not change his plans for future overseas trips, so there is no need to worry, as it is not an emergency," said Cardinal Kikuchi Tsutomu.

The Vatican said Leo will recover in a nearby hospital room because the papal apartment at Gemelli is undergoing renovations. The pope previously had been hospitalized in 1985 for typhoid fever while serving as a young missionary priest in Peru.

According to a biography interview, Leo described that illness as a major moment in his life and recalled praying during the painful episode.

"horrible" said Pope Leo XIV describing the pain of his typhoid fever in 1985.

"I was hooked up to an IV, and I said, 'If this is your sense of humor, Lord, I think you could do a little better.' "Obviously, I survived; I recovered, but it turned out to be a very significant moment for me, because it was like, 'Well, you've already dealt with the illness; you already see what the needs are here — the order, the Augustinians, the church are telling you, 'We need you here; go for it.' I never looked back." said Pope Leo XIV.