Pope Leo has been diagnosed with lung cancer after undergoing surgery to remove part of his right lung, the Vatican has confirmed.
The diagnosis of lung adenocarcinoma was confirmed during a 90-minute operation at Rome’s Gemelli hospital on Tuesday, following earlier medical tests that had raised concerns about a growth on his lung.
“The surgery was successful, and there were no complications,” the Vatican said in a medical bulletin.
The pontiff was admitted to hospital after doctors discovered the growth during a recent routine health examination.
The Vatican initially announced the procedure had been successful before releasing further details from Professor Stefano Margaritora, the hospital’s chief of thoracic surgery, who led the operation.
“In order to make the procedure curative, the lower lobe of the right lung was removed using a video-assisted technique,” Professor Margaritora’s update said.
“A rapid intraoperative histological examination confirmed the diagnosis of lung adenocarcinoma, as had been suspected from the preoperative tests,” it said.
The operation lasted approximately 90 minutes, with doctors reporting no complications.
Pope Leo has since regained consciousness and is recovering in his hospital room.
Pope Leo expected to remain in hospital for a week
The pontiff departed the Vatican shortly before 1pm on Tuesday, travelling about nine kilometres north to Gemelli hospital in a convoy.
He was seen waving to onlookers from the back of a black SUV as he made his way to the medical facility.
Upon arrival, Pope Leo greeted several officials and walked past a crowd of supporters, some calling out “Auguri”, meaning best wishes, before entering the hospital through its main entrance.
The Vatican previously indicated the pope would need approximately one week in hospital to recover from the operation.
All scheduled public appearances and engagements have been cancelled until October 20.
Pope Leo was elected leader of the Catholic Church in May 2025 following the death of Pope Francis.
Considered relatively young for a pontiff, he has maintained an active lifestyle and is known to enjoy sports, particularly tennis.
He is not known to smoke and had not previously been reported to have significant recent health concerns.
His predecessor, Pope Francis, experienced a series of health complications and hospital admissions during his final years before dying in April 2025 at the age of 88.
Pope Leo has continued to maintain a demanding schedule since his election and appeared in public as recently as Monday, speaking with a strong and clear voice.
The pope is also scheduled to embark on an 11-day international tour of Uruguay, Argentina and Peru from November 6 to 17.
It remains unclear whether his diagnosis and recovery will affect those travel plans.
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