Pope Leo lung surgery 'successful,' Vatican says

Pope Leo XIV underwent surgery on Tuesday to remove a nodule from his lung, the Vatican said.

"The procedure was completed successfully, within the expected timeframe and as planned," said a brief Vatican statement, adding that more details would be shared later.

The surgery at Rome's prestigious Gemelli hospital, which has been the main site of treatment for popes for decades, lasted about 7 hours. Leo's recovery is expected to take about a week, the statement added.

The Vatican statement did not specify what tests were performed to determine if the nodule was cancerous.

Shift in transparency

Leo, 71, disclosed the health issue to thousands of worshippers at a prayer service on Sunday, making a marked shift in the level of transparency about his health compared to his predecessors.

In the past, the Vatican has often been accused of making confusing or extremely vague statements about popes' health, if revealing at information at all.

All of the pontiff's engagements have been cancelled through October 20. He is still likely to take a planned trip to South America in November.

According to oncologists, this type of surgery is usually necessary to determine if a lump is malignant. However, if it is, Leo has an excellent prognosis since it was caught so early.

Edited by: Jenipher Camino Gonzalez