By Carol Glatz, Catholic News Service

[Vatican City – CNS} – Doctors removed a cancerous tumour from Pope Leo XIV’s right lung’s lower lobe, after pre-operative medical tests raised suspicions, according to a medical report released by the Vatican.

The removed lung tissue was diagnosed as adenocarcinoma, a type of cancer that develops in the specialized cells lining certain internal organs.

“The Holy Father was in the operating room for about three hours; the surgery itself lasted approximately 90 minutes. The surgery was successful, and there were no complications,” the Vatican press office said in a communique released late Oct. 13.

With the assistance of a tiny video camera or thoracoscope, doctors at Rome’s Gemelli hospital performed a “radical surgery” in which they removed the entire lower lobe of the right lung to ensure that the entire tumour and surrounding tissues were removed, it said.

A priest prays before a statue of St. John Paul II outside of Rome’s Gemelli hospital where Pope Leo XIV underwent surgery to remove a cancerous tumour from his lung. Doctors reported the procedure to be a success. (Photo by Cristian Gennari, CNS).

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Radical surgeries to treat cancer usually involve removing a tumor along with surrounding tissues and structures, such as lymph nodes, that may contain cancer. A Vatican source said early post-operative exams should be ready late Oct. 14.

Pope Leo said in his initial announcement of the impending surgery after praying the Angelus Oct. 11 that doctors “found a small, localized nodule in my lung. It was detected at a very early stage and is well-localized.”

The late-evening announcement from the Vatican said a histological examination during the procedure confirmed what earlier medical tests had suggested. The communique was based on a statement issued by the pope’s personal doctor, Dr. Luigi Carbone, and the lead surgeon, Dr. Stefano Margaritora.

“The procedure was successful, and there were no complications,” the Vatican announcement said, after confirming earlier that it also went according to schedule and as planned.

After surgery, Pope Leo regained consciousness “normally” and was returned to his hospital room. He also asked for dinner, a Vatican source told reporters.

The latest medical report came at 10 p.m. Rome time, a few hours after the procedure had ended a little before 7:45 p.m.

A woman prays the rosary at the chapel in Rome’s Gemelli hospital, where Pope Leo XIV was hospitalized Oct. 13, 2026, for surgery to remove a cancerous tumor from his lung. Doctors have reported the procedure to be a success. (Photo by Cristian Gennari, CNS)

The news followed an evening rosary that was held in the chapel of the hospital, presided over by Cardinal Baldassarre Reina, papal vicar of Rome.

Vatican Radio had reported that churches and religious communities across Rome were also invited to pray the rosary. Vatican News reported that churches in several countries were celebrating Mass, including the pope’s hometown of Chicago at St. Mary of the Angels Church and Chiclayo, and his former diocese in Chiclayo, Peru, where its cathedral held a Mass for him.

Pope Leo had arrived at the Rome hospital a little after 1 p.m. local time: he emerged from the car smiling and waving to the crowd of well-wishers and onlookers, and greeted hospital officials.

The Vatican press office told reporters in an earlier communique Oct. 13 that the pope would be operated on by a thoracic medical team led by Dr. Margaritora, who is the hospital’s director of thoracic surgery and head of the neuroscience and chest department as well as a professor of thoracic surgery at the Catholic University of the Sacred Heart in Rome.

Cardinal Pietro Parolin, Vatican secretary of state, told reporters on the sidelines of a meeting in Rome early Oct. 13 that he had spoken with the pope the day before and said he sounded “very serene.”

“Truly, the Holy Father is a great example of this,” he said. “I am worried because I certainly did not expect something like this,” however, “thank God, it was found quickly.”

Cardinal Tarcisius Isao Kikuchi of Tokyo met with Pope Leo Oct. 12 and told the Italian daily La Repubblica that the pope told him he did not want to cancel his planned Nov. 6-17 trip to Uruguay, Argentina and Peru.

Therefore, “he decided to immediately undergo the necessary care,” the cardinal told the newspaper. “This is a minor intervention, a small operation. It’s nothing serious.”

Matteo Bruni, head of the Vatican press office, had told reporters the pope is expected to need about one week of recovery, and the prefecture of the papal household said all of the pope’s audiences and public events had been canceled until Oct. 20.

Pope Leo XIV greets hospital staff and well-wishers as he arrives at Rome’s Gemelli Hospital Oct. 13, 2026, for an operation that afternoon to remove a nodule in his lung. (CNS photo/Vatican Media)

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Contributing to this CNS story was Josephine Peterson in Rome.

Catholic News Service  – With its Rome bureau founded in 1950, Catholic News Service has been providing complete, in-depth coverage of the popes and the Vatican for more than 70 years.  CNS Rome continues to provide a fair, faithful and informed connection to the Holy See. CNS is provided courtesy of the United States Conference of Bishops: www.usccb.org/news/

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