Eye Opener: Pope Leo has lung cancer, Vatican says

Pope Leo XIV, aged 71, underwent successful surgery at Rome's Gemelli Hospital to remove a cancerous mass from his right lung. The procedure lasted approximately 90 minutes, and initial tests confirmed he has the most common type of lung cancer, known as adenocarcinoma. According to doctors Dr. Luigi Carbone and Dr. Stefano Margaritora, Pope Leo is recovering well and has begun walking and eating normally in his hospital room.

The papal nodule was detected early during a routine medical check-up and described as "well-contained" by the Pope himself. He made this announcement during his weekly Sunday noon blessing on October 11th. The Vatican confirmed that surgery took place on October 13th, with an expected recovery period of about one week.

Leo's doctors noted that the surgery was radical, aiming to remove all suspect tissue and minimize lingering cancer traces. Further tests are pending to determine if additional treatments will be required. Pope Leo has a major trip planned from November 6-17 to Uruguay, Argentina, and Peru; it is unclear whether his recovery timeline might affect this itinerary.

This development marks the first significant health issue of Pope Leo’s papacy, which began in May 2025 when he was elected as the first American pope. His announcement of the surgery has been seen as a new approach to transparency regarding his health status.