Pope Leo XIV requires no additional treatment after successful lung cancer surgery, doctors confirmed. The pontiff had a lower lobe of his right lung removed at Gemelli Hospital in Rome on Oct. 13. Follow-up tests showed the cancer was localized, and an oncology evaluation determined no further treatment is necessary.
The announcement came eight days after his diagnosis was revealed, casting uncertainty over his papal agenda. The pope returned to public duties, participating in a Vatican conference and appointing 24 members to a theological commission. He also engaged in international diplomacy, speaking with Russian President Vladimir Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to call for a cease-fire.
On Wednesday, he appeared in St. Peter’s Square for his weekly audience, riding through a cheering crowd on the pope mobile. The surgery was performed after he announced a small lung growth. Doctors confirmed the diagnosis as lung adenocarcinoma, caught at an early stage. Dr. Stefano Margaritora, the thoracic surgeon, described the operation as routine and expressed satisfaction with the pope’s recovery.
The pope is scheduled to travel to South America on Nov. 6 for an 11-day trip to Uruguay, Argentina, and Peru, despite concerns about the schedule’s demands.
Source: New York Times Top Stories · Summarized by HeadlinesBriefing