Pope Leo XIV Diagnosed With Lung Cancer, Part of Lung Removed
Pope Leo XIV Lung Cancer Diagnosis Revealed ... After Surgery
Published
Pope Leo XIV has been diagnosed with lung cancer ... and doctors have removed part of his right lung in a successful surgery.
The Vatican announced Tuesday the 71-year-old pontiff underwent surgery at Rome's Gemelli Hospital, where doctors removed the lower lobe of his right lung after discovering a suspicious growth.
Doctors confirmed the growth was lung adenocarcinoma -- a type of lung cancer -- after examining tissue during the operation.
The Pope spent roughly three hours in the operating room, though the surgery itself lasted about 90 minutes. The Vatican says everything went according to plan, with no complications.
Leo woke up normally after the procedure and was taken back to his room following a brief period of observation.
As TMZ previously reported ... Leo revealed Sunday doctors had discovered a growth on his lung during a recent examination.
At the time, he said the growth had been caught at a very early stage and was localized ... though it wasn't yet publicly confirmed to be cancerous.
The Pope is expected to spend about a week recovering in the hospital, and his planned November trip to South America remains on the schedule.
