Pope Leo XIV to Undergo Lung Nodule Surgery

Pope Leo XIV said he will undergo surgery in the coming days to remove a small, localized lung nodule discovered during recent medical checks. The 71-year-old pope said doctors found it at a very early stage and advised an operation. The Vatican said the procedure is expected to take place at Gemelli Hospital in Rome, which has treated several popes, and that recovery should take about a week. The Vatican has not said whether the surgery will affect Leo’s schedule of international visits. The pope is due to travel to Uruguay, Argentina and Peru from November 6 to 17. In Chiclayo, Peru, people expressed hope for his recovery and said they were praying for him. Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni said the pope’s calm manner during his Angelus address was reassuring and conveyed her personal and government’s support. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky wished him a successful operation and a full recovery. Church leaders in Uruguay and Argentina also called for prayers and encouraged preparations for the papal visit to continue. The article notes that Leo, born in Chicago as Robert Francis Prevost, became the first US pope in 2025 after the death of Pope Francis. Since his election, he has established his own leadership style and spoken on issues including armed conflict and artificial intelligence. Most recently, Leo criticized the US-Israeli war against Iran and described Donald Trump’s threat to destroy Iran as unacceptable. Trump criticized the pope’s positions, while Leo said he had a moral duty to speak out.

Pope Leo XIV, 71, is scheduled to undergo surgery this week after doctors found a small, early-stage, circumscribed nodular lesion in his lung during medical checks. Leo said he chose surgery on his doctors’ advice and asked for spiritual support and prayers. The Vatican said he would be hospitalized in the first days of the week, although it did not provide a specific date. On Monday, he was continuing his regular schedule while awaiting the procedure. He was expected to be treated at Rome’s Gemelli Hospital, which has a special apartment for the pope, and recovery is expected to take about a week. The article explains that lung nodules are small abnormal areas commonly detected on scans and are often benign, though benign and cancerous nodules can look similar in imaging. Georgetown lung cancer expert Dr. Stephen Liu said surgical removal can provide a definitive diagnosis when concern is sufficient and surgery is appropriate. Italian Association of Medical Oncology president Dr. Massimo Di Maio emphasized the importance of establishing whether the lesion is benign or malignant and, if malignant, whether disease has spread. He noted that early detection can make curative treatment the aim; possible treatments, depending on findings, include chemotherapy and radiation. Leo has a major Nov. 6–17 trip planned to Uruguay, Argentina and Peru. It is not yet clear whether surgery and recovery will affect the itinerary, though he said he intended to go. The article describes him as physically active and reports no previously known health problems. It also contrasts Leo’s situation with that of his predecessor, Pope Francis, who died in April 2025 after a stroke following a prolonged hospitalization for respiratory illness and double pneumonia, and who had chronic lung disease and part of one lung removed when young.

Pope Leo XIV is scheduled to undergo surgery in the coming days to remove a localised lung nodule detected during recent medical checkups. The 71-year-old pope announced the decision during his weekly address in St Peter’s Square, describing the nodule as having been found at a very early stage. The article says this is the first medical event of his 17-month papacy and the first time a pope has made this kind of personal medical announcement. Pulmonary nodules are dense areas of tissue in the lung. They are common, appearing in roughly one-third to one-half of chest CT scans or X-rays, and most are benign, often associated with infection or inflammation. A small proportion may indicate early-stage lung cancer; the risk is higher for older people, smokers and those with a family history of the disease. Lung cancer expert Stephen Liu told the Associated Press that if a cancerous nodule is removed early, the prognosis is excellent and surgery alone may be enough treatment. The operation will be performed under general anaesthetic. The Vatican expects Leo to remain in hospital for about a week afterward. He will be treated at Rome’s Agostino Gemelli Polyclinic, a Catholic teaching hospital with a special apartment for popes. Pope Francis received care there during his final illness. The article also explains that Vatican law does not specify who assumes a pope’s authority if he becomes incapacitated. Leo will remain pope and retain his authority while unconscious during surgery, as Francis and John Paul II retained theirs during hospital stays. Longer papal lifespans and medical advances have renewed calls for the Church to address the legal gap around a pope too ill to govern.

Pope Leo XIV has announced that he will undergo an operation this week to remove a lump, or pulmonary nodule, from his lung. It is the first time a pope has made a personal medical announcement of this kind. The Vatican says doctors expect his recovery to take about a week, which could allow him to keep his planned 11-day visit to Latin America, beginning on 6 November. The trip is scheduled to include Uruguay, Argentina and Peru; Leo has a longstanding connection to Peru, where he worked as a missionary for two decades and became a citizen. The operation is expected in the coming days, likely at the beginning of the week, but the Vatican has not provided a specific date. Italian media have speculated it could take place on Tuesday. Leo is currently scheduled to lead a Mass at St Peter’s Basilica on Wednesday, and no changes to his schedule have been announced. A pulmonary nodule is a small growth in lung tissue. Most are benign, though a small proportion may represent early-stage lung cancer. Small nodules usually cause no symptoms and are often found during examinations for other conditions. Larger ones can cause shortness of breath, chest pain or a persistent cough, sometimes with blood. The article notes that removal is normally performed under general anaesthetic, with the patient breathing through a tube. The procedure is expected to take place at Rome’s Gemelli hospital, where popes have commonly received care. Leo’s predecessor, Pope Francis, spent weeks there for treatment before his death in 2025. Pope John Paul II was treated at the hospital nine times and spent a total of 153 days there. He famously joked that Gemelli was like “Vatican number three.” The Vatican later established a dedicated suite on the hospital’s top floor, including a room for the pope, a medical meeting room, kitchen, bathroom, rest areas and a small chapel.