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The Vatican announced that Pope Leo XIV is expected to leave hospital on Saturday afternoon and return to the Vatican following surgery for lung cancer. According to a medical bulletin from his doctors, blood tests and a chest X-ray performed on Saturday morning showed the 71-year-old pontiff was fit for discharge after an assessment of his clinical status. The procedure on Tuesday removed the lower lobe of his right lung using a video-assisted technique after a routine check identified a nodule.
Doctors Luigi Carbone and Stefano Margaritora stated that the operation was completed successfully without complications and lasted about 90 minutes. The intraoperative examination confirmed a diagnosis of pulmonary adenocarcinoma, the most common form of lung cancer, Reuters reported. They have not released details on the tumor size or whether the disease spread to nearby lymph nodes, factors that influence prognosis according to a medical overview published by The Guardian.
The pontiff has resumed some duties while in hospital, including celebrating Mass, reading documents and meeting with officials such as Archbishop Paolo Rudelli. He also held a telephone conversation with Russian President Vladimir Putin to discuss the situation in Ukraine, CNN reported. His post-operative recovery has allowed him to perform normal daily activities independently with the help of respiratory physiotherapy, Vatican statements indicated.
Pulmonary adenocarcinoma accounts for roughly 40 percent of lung cancer cases and tends to grow and spread more slowly than other forms, a CNN analysis of the condition found. The lobectomy performed on the pope represents standard treatment for early-stage cases and can prove curative, according to The Guardian. A final pathology report will determine if additional therapies such as immunotherapy or chemotherapy are required.
Preparations for the pope’s planned trip to Uruguay, Argentina and Peru from November 6 to 17 are continuing, the Vatican said. Cardinal Pietro Parolin, the Holy See’s secretary of state, told reporters that decisions on the itinerary would depend on the pope’s condition after discharge. The 71-year-old has maintained a packed agenda since his election as the first American pope in May 2025.
Pope Leo XIV’s predecessor, Pope Francis, faced repeated health challenges in the final years of his papacy before his death in April 2025 at age 88, Reuters noted in coverage of the current pontiff’s recovery. The Vatican has signaled that Leo intends to keep up his commitments where possible as he manages the illness. He is scheduled to deliver the traditional Angelus prayer from a window overlooking St. Peter’s Square on Sunday in his first public appearance since the surgery.
