Pope Leo XIV, 71, Needs No Further Treatment After Lung Cancer Surgery

Pope Leo XIV, 71, will not need further treatment for lung cancer after tests confirmed that the disease was localized, the Vatican announced Wednesday, Oct. 21. The news comes eight days after surgeons removed the lower lobe of his right lung at Rome’s Gemelli Hospital. According to Vatican News, tissue examined during the Oct. 13 surgery confirmed that the pope had lung adenocarcinoma, a type of non-small cell lung cancer, according to the National Cancer Institute.

The results of additional testing now provide a clearer picture of his diagnosis and what comes next.

“The final histopathology and molecular testing reports on the tissue removed during the Holy Father’s surgery were issued today. 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 pope’s doctors, Luigi Carbone and Stefano Margaritora, said in a statement released by the Vatican.

The Vatican has not disclosed the cancer’s precise stage.

Leo was discharged from the hospital on Oct. 17 and has begun returning to his regular schedule. On Oct. 21, he held his weekly general audience in St. Peter’s Square, his first since his surgery.

Why early detection matters

Lung cancer is most often diagnosed in older adults. The average age at diagnosis in the U.S. is about 70, according to the American Cancer Society.

“One challenge is that lung cancer often causes no noticeable symptoms in its early stages,” says Dr. Alexis Chidi, a thoracic surgeon at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center in New York City.

That makes screening particularly important for people at higher risk. The American Cancer Society recommends annual low-dose CT scans for adults ages 50 to 80 who smoke or used to smoke the equivalent of one pack a day for 20 years, no matter how long ago they quit. 

Yet only about 1 in 5 eligible adults undergo recommended screening, Chidi says. The scan typically takes just 10 to 15 minutes and can detect lung cancer before symptoms develop. AARP has more information about who should be screened for lung cancer. 

Smoking is the leading risk factor, but it is not the only one. Chidi notes that people who have never smoked can develop lung cancer. Other risk factors include exposure to radon, secondhand smoke and air pollution, as well as family history.

Routine screening is not recommended for people who have never smoked, but a persistent cough, shortness of breath or unexplained chest discomfort should prompt a conversation with a health care provider, Chidi says. These symptoms are often caused by something other than cancer, but they should not be ignored.

What is lung adenocarcinoma?

Adenocarcinoma begins in mucus-producing cells in the lungs. It is the most common form of non-small cell lung cancer, according to the Lung Cancer Foundation of America.

Although it tends to occur in people who smoke or used to smoke, it is also the most common lung cancer among people who have never smoked.

Leo first disclosed the nodule during his Sunday noon prayer in St. Peter’s Square. He said doctors had discovered it during recent medical tests and recommended surgery. He described the nodule as “very early-stage and well-localized.”

For an otherwise healthy person in their 70s, “an early-stage diagnosis is a highly treatable and often curable scenario,” says Dr. Puneet Dhillon, a thoracic oncologist at the Hackensack Meridian John Theurer Cancer Center at Hackensack University Medical Center in New Jersey. 

How do doctors treat a cancerous lung nodule?

For localized, early-stage lung cancer, surgeons may remove the tumor and surrounding tissue or the affected lobe. Minimally invasive techniques can shorten recovery, Dhillon explains. For some patients, surgery is the only treatment needed.

Leo’s surgeons removed the lower lobe of his right lung, an operation called a lobectomy. It is major surgery, Dhillon says.

For physically fit older patients who undergo a minimally invasive procedure, recovery typically includes a hospital stay of a few days and a return to normal routines within four to six weeks.

Breathing exercises can help during recovery, she says.

“Although a portion of the lung is gone, the body is remarkably resilient, and the remaining lobes naturally expand to compensate for the missing tissue.”

Some patients may notice less breathing capacity during strenuous exercise, even if everyday activities feel much the same, Dhillon says. Recovery depends on the patient’s health and the procedure used.

Does every lung nodule mean cancer?

No. Lung nodules, small abnormal growths in the lungs, become more common after 50, but many are scars from old infections or areas of inflammation, says Dr. Michael Spallone, a thoracic surgeon at Hackensack University Medical Center.

Older adults also tend to undergo more imaging tests, increasing the chances that doctors will find a spot that causes no symptoms.

“When a nodule is found in an older adult, it can be terrifying for the patient, but it is important to remember that the overwhelming majority of these nodules are benign,” Spallone says.​