Pope Leo XIV was diagnosed with lung cancer: A part of his lung was surgically removed

The Vatican made a statement regarding the health condition of Pope Leo XIV, the spiritual leader of Catholics. In the statement, it was reported that the Pope, who underwent surgery at Gemelli Hospital in Rome, was diagnosed with lung cancer.

According to the health bulletin published by the Vatican, the Pope underwent surgery on Tuesday, October 13, due to a mass detected in his lung during a routine health check, and cancer findings were found in the tissues examined during the operation.

As a result of the examinations, the Pope was diagnosed with lung adenocarcinoma, one of the common types of lung cancer. It was stated that cancer was suspected in the pre-operative examinations.

Dr. who performed the Pope's surgery. Stefano Margaritora and his personal doctor Dr. Luigi Carbone announced that the operation took approximately 90 minutes and there were no complications.

Doctors reported that the lower lobe of the right lung was removed using video-assisted surgery in order to completely remove the cancerous tissue.

It was reported that after the surgery, the Pope regained consciousness normally and was taken to the hospital room to rest.

THE STAGE OF THE CANCER HAS NOT BEEN ANNOUNCED YET

The Vatican has not yet shared information about the size of the tumor detected in the Pope's lung and whether the cancer has spread to the lymph nodes.

Lung cancer specialist Dr. working at Georgetown University in Washington. Stephen Liu said that the stage of the cancer must be determined in order to evaluate the course of the disease.

"We know the diagnosis, but we do not yet know the stage of the cancer. This information is critical for the course and treatment of the disease," Liu said.

Stating that surgery alone can provide recovery if the cancer is small and has not spread to the lymph nodes, Liu stated that if the disease is detected to have spread to a larger area, the treatment process and recovery expectation may change.

The Vatican announced that the Pope is expected to remain hospitalized for about a week and that all his public events planned through October 20 have been cancelled.

It was stated that the Pope, who left the Vatican before the surgery, was taken by car to Gemelli Hospital, approximately 9 kilometers away. It was reported that the Pope greeted those waiting for him at the entrance of the hospital and entered the building after shaking hands with the officials.

On the other hand, it is not yet clear whether the Pope's 11-day visit to South America, covering Uruguay, Argentina and Peru, between November 6-17, will be held as planned.

HE WAS ELECTED POPE IN 2025

Pope Leo XIV, who was born as Robert Prevost in Chicago, USA in 1955, served as a missionary and bishop in Peru for many years.

He was elected the new leader of the Catholic Church in May 2025, after Pope Francis died in April 2025 at the age of 88.

It was stated that the Pope, who was known to be interested in various sports, especially tennis, did not smoke and did not have any serious health problems that were recently revealed to the public.

It is known that Pope Leo XIV had a serious health problem in the past. The Pope contracted typhoid fever and was hospitalized in 1985 while he was on duty in Chulucanas, Peru.

Explaining this experience in an extensive interview after he was elected Pope, Leo said that he suffered severe pain during the illness and considered his survival a religious sign.

If the Pope, the spiritual leader of approximately 1.4 billion Catholics around the world, is unable to fulfill his duties, administrative functioning in the Vatican continues. However, decisions requiring the Pope's approval are put on hold until he returns to his duties.