Vatican Confirms Pope Leo XIV Has Lung Cancer After Surgery

Pope Leo XIV has been diagnosed with lung adenocarcinoma after undergoing successful surgery to remove the lower lobe of his right lung at Rome's Gemelli Hospital on Tuesday, October 13, 2026. The Vatican confirmed the diagnosis in a medical bulletin, reporting that the 71-year-old pontiff recovered from the 90-minute operation and returned to his room following a brief observation period.

The surgery followed the discovery of a lung nodule during routine medical checks, according to the Vatican. The pontiff had previously described the growth as localized and detected at a very early stage, explaining that doctors recommended its removal.

The Vatican said the operation proceeded as planned and that Leo awoke normally afterward. His public schedule has been cleared through October 20 to allow time for his recovery.

The procedure was performed by a thoracic surgery team at Gemelli Hospital led by its chief thoracic surgeon, Dr. Stefano Margaritora, according to Global News. Medical specialists have said that removing a localized lung lesion can help establish the extent of disease and determine whether additional treatment is necessary.

Dr. Lorenzo Spaggiari, director of thoracic surgery at the European Institute of Oncology in Milan, who was not involved in the pope's treatment, explained that the outlook can be favorable when a tumor is detected at an early stage and affected lymph nodes show no signs of cancer.

He said, "If all those lymph nodes turn out to be negative, so stage one, then the outlook is very good," according to Global News.

The Vatican's announcement prompted concern among Catholic leaders and worshippers. Cardinal Parolin, the Vatican secretary of state, acknowledged the unexpected diagnosis while expressing confidence in the pontiff's resilience and recovery.

Cardinal Parolin told journalists, "Am I worried? Yes, because I certainly wasn't expecting anything like this," according to the BBC. He also described the news as a sudden shock and said the cardinals had been encouraged by the pope's calm demeanor.

Outside Gemelli Hospital, crowds gathered to greet Leo as he arrived for treatment. The pope waved and smiled at well-wishers through the rear window of his car before entering the hospital, where staff welcomed him.

Cardinal Baldassare Reina, the Vicar of Rome, led a prayer service in the hospital chapel as the operation began Tuesday evening. He called on those present to pray for the pontiff and other hospitalized patients.

"Let us join together in prayer, asking the Lord to sustain our bishop, Pope Leo, and to comfort all those who are hospitalized here," Reina said, according to Global News.

Cardinal Kikuchi Tarcisio Isao of Tokyo said he had met Leo on Monday and reported that the pope had felt physically well. The cardinal indicated that the decision to proceed quickly with surgery was intended to preserve the pontiff's planned overseas travel.

The pope is scheduled to visit Uruguay, Argentina and Peru from November 6 to 17, according to Global News. The itinerary would involve more than 31,000 kilometers of travel, a dozen flights and two helicopter rides, including a significant change in altitude during the Peru visit.

The trip holds particular significance because Leo served as a missionary and later as a bishop in Peru for many years. Whether he can follow the schedule will depend on his recovery after surgery.

Doctors generally recommend assessing removed lung tissue and nearby lymph nodes to determine whether cancer has spread and whether further treatment is needed. The Vatican has not announced additional treatment plans, while the pope remains hospitalized following the operation.