Vatican Confirms Pope Leo Diagnosed with Lung Cancer Following Surgery

The Vatican announced on Tuesday that Pope Leo XIV has been diagnosed with lung cancer following a surgical procedure. Medical officials confirmed the pontiff has lung adenocarcinoma, a type of cancer that begins in mucus-producing glands.

According to a medical bulletin released by the Holy See, doctors surgically removed the lower lobe of the pope’s right lung. The diagnosis had been suspected based on preoperative tests and was subsequently confirmed during the operation.

The 71-year-old pontiff spent approximately three hours in the operating room, with the surgical procedure itself lasting roughly 90 minutes. The Vatican statement described the surgery as successful and noted that no complications arose.

Pope Leo, the first American pope, recently underwent hospitalization for surgery addressing a nodular lesion found in his lung. The diagnosis follows his recent high-profile apostolic journey to France, where he drew large crowds.