Pope Leo XIV needs no further cancer treatment after lung surgery, doctors say

Pope Leo XIV does not need further treatment after lung cancer surgery, his doctors said in a statement released by the Vatican on Wednesday 21 October.

The statement was issued by Dr. Luigi Carbone and Professor Stefano Margaritora. The South China Morning Post (SCMP) identifies them as the Pope's personal doctor and his surgeon.

Tests on tissue removed during surgery confirmed that the tumour was a lung adenocarcinoma. This is consistent with the initial diagnosis. The doctors said the disease was localised.

"The final histopathology and molecular testing reports on the tissue removed during the Holy Father’s surgery were issued today," the statement said, as quoted by Fox News. "The results confirmed that the tumor was a lung adenocarcinoma and that the disease was localized. A subsequent oncological assessment has confirmed that no further treatment is necessary."

The surgery took place on 13 October at Rome's Gemelli Hospital. The operation lasted about 90 minutes. Surgeons removed the lower lobe of the Pope's right lung. The Pope, 71, was discharged on Saturday, four days after the operation.

Fox News, citing the Holy See, reported that the Pope spent approximately three hours in the operating room. According to Vatican News, as cited by Fox News, he awoke normally and returned to his room after a brief observation period. Fox News reported that he was discharged after blood tests and a chest X-ray, and that he visited the children's oncology ward before leaving.

According to the SCMP, the four-day stay was shorter than the week-long stay the Vatican had initially anticipated. The SCMP described the surgery as the first major health event of his 17-month pontificate. It also noted that adenocarcinoma is the most common type of lung cancer.

According to the BBC, the Pope held his first weekly general audience in St Peter's Square since leaving hospital on Wednesday.

What each side says

• The Pope's doctors: Final tests confirmed a localised lung adenocarcinoma, and no further treatment is necessary.
• Holy See press office: "The doctors said it was successful and there were no complications," according to Fox News.
• Pope Leo XIV: Before the surgery, he said the lung nodule had been caught "at an early stage", according to the BBC.
• The Vatican: On Friday, the Pope urged Russian President Vladimir Putin by phone to agree to a ceasefire in the Ukrainian city of Oleshky to allow food aid, and called for "dialogue and peace", the BBC reported. The BBC describes Oleshky as blockaded and Russian-occupied. According to the BBC, he had a similar call with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Monday.
• People close to the Pope (unnamed): He was keen not to delay a trip to Latin America planned for early November, according to the BBC.

The reports reviewed by Vocemundi do not include the full text of the doctors' statement. They do not describe the molecular test findings, the tumour's size or formal stage, or any follow-up monitoring schedule.

Analysis

The doctors' statement addresses the main medical question raised by the surgery: whether further treatment would be needed. If the Pope's recovery continues as described, his schedule may return to normal, including the planned Latin America trip. However, the reports reviewed by Vocemundi do not confirm that trip's dates or destinations. They also do not describe any follow-up monitoring plan. Such details would help observers judge how the Pope's health may affect his workload in the coming months. His recent calls with the Russian and Ukrainian leaders suggest continued diplomatic activity. The reports do not describe what those calls achieved.

Produced by the Vocemundi newsroom with AI assistance.