After the procedure: Doctors: Pope is recovering well - worries since September

After his lung cancer operation, Leo XIV is now waiting in the hospital for further results. The prominent patient is said to have known for a long time that something was wrong.

Rome. Pope Leo XIV's recovery from his lung cancer operation is making progress, according to the doctors treating him. An X-ray examination of the chest revealed a “good recovery of the operated lung,” said the medical team at the Gemelli Clinic in Rome, where the 71-year-old has been being treated since Tuesday. According to a report in the daily newspaper “La Repubblica”, Leo is said to have known about the abnormality in his lungs since the middle of last month. The newspaper cites sources in the Vatican.

The American-born man now undergoes regular check-ups at the Gemelli Clinic. According to the doctors' bulletin, all results are within normal limits. However, it is still unknown whether the Pope is now cancer-free after the 90-minute procedure in which a malignant tumor was removed. There has so far been no further information from the Vatican or the hospital.

Newspaper: Doctors were worried a month ago

According to Repubblica, Leo learned after an MRI scan of his abdomen on September 14th - his 71st birthday - that doctors were concerned about an abnormality in his lungs. After a much-celebrated trip to France, he had himself examined again at the end of September, including a computer tomography (CT). It turned out that it was most likely a malignant tumor. This was confirmed during the operation on Tuesday.

The doctors removed the lower lobe of the pontiff's right lung. The lump turned out to be a so-called lung adenocarcinoma. According to experts, this is the most common form of lung cancer. According to official information, the Pope will remain in the hospital until next week. Which treatment is then required will probably only become clear after further findings in the next few days.

All official appointments until the middle of next week have been canceled. It is unclear whether Leo will be able to go on a planned two-week trip to South America in November.