Pope Leo XIV is out of bed, walking and eating, and has started respiratory physiotherapy, according to a doctor’s note published by the Vatican a day after his lung cancer surgery. Blood tests and a chest X-ray showed normal post-operative progress, doctors Luigi Carbone and Stefano Margaritora said, with results falling within the range expected for the procedure.
The 71-year-old pontiff had the lower lobe of his right lung removed. A Vatican medical bulletin published on Tuesday said he was diagnosed with cancer after the operation. “Recovery is proceeding as planned,” the doctors said.
Surgery lasted 90 minutes with no complications
The Vatican said the procedure took 90 minutes and was successful, with no complications. Tests confirmed lung adenocarcinoma, a diagnosis that preoperative tests had already suggested, though the Vatican gave no details on the recovery outlook or treatment course.
A statement from the Holy See’s press office described the “radical” removal of the lobe, indicating that doctors took out all suspect tissue to try to eliminate any lingering traces of the cancer.
Recovery at Rome’s Gemelli hospital and treatment plans
After the procedure, the pope returned to his room at Rome’s Gemelli hospital, where he is expected to recover for about a week. All of his audiences through October 20 have been cancelled.
The Vatican said doctors are not currently discussing chemotherapy or other therapies, pending the results of further tests.
