October 15, 2026
The Vatican announced, on Tuesday, that Pope Leo
The Vatican explained in a medical bulletin that the suspicion of the disease emerged during the examinations that preceded the surgery, and the diagnosis was conclusively confirmed during the operation, which took about 90 minutes, within a total time estimated at three hours that the Pope spent in the operating room, stressing that he returned to his room immediately after it was completed without any complications occurring. The surgery was supervised by a medical team headed by Dr. Stefano Margaritora, Head of the Thoracic Surgery Department at the hospital.
The Vatican press office indicated that the medical report used the description of a “radical” resection of the pulmonary lobe to remove all suspicious tissue, pointing out that the lymph nodes will be removed and examined to determine the extent of the disease, results that have not been announced yet. The Vatican also did not specify the next treatment plan, explaining that doctors are not currently looking into chemotherapy or any other treatments pending the release of the remaining results.
For his part, Dr. Stephen Liu, a lung cancer expert at the Lombardi Comprehensive Cancer Center at Georgetown University, explained that adenocarcinoma is the most common type of lung cancer, and records more positive recovery rates compared to other types. He explained that the next step is based on determining the stage of the disease by assessing the size of the tumor and the extent of its spread and knowing whether it has reached the lymph nodes, indicating that if the spread is proven, it may require a treatment protocol that includes chemotherapy, immunotherapy, or treatment directed via oral tablets.
It is noteworthy that Pope Leo This is the second time he has been transferred to the hospital, after being admitted in 1958 due to typhoid fever in Peru while he was a missionary priest, an experience that solidified his decision to remain there, before he served for centuries as a priest and bishop in Peru and was elected Pope of the Vatican in May 2025.
The Pope represents the spiritual authority for about 1.4 billion Catholics around the world, and there is no representative to replace him in the event of illness. In the event that he is unable to perform his duties, the daily administrative work of the Vatican continues normally, while decisions that require his personal approval are postponed.
