Pope Leo XIV Undergoes Successful Lung Surgery in Rome

Pope Leo XIV arrived at the Agostino Gemelli Polyclinic in Rome on Tuesday, October 13, 2026, for a surgical procedure. Doctors at the hospital operated to remove a portion of his lung.

The Vatican confirmed that the surgery was necessitated by a cancerous growth in the Pope’s lung. The medical team performed an operation to remove the lower lobe of his right lung, as outlined in a statement from Leo’s doctors released by the church.

Post-surgery lung tissue analysis verified the presence of lung adenocarcinoma, as indicated by prior tests. Adenocarcinoma is the most prevalent form of lung cancer in the United States, comprising around 40% of all lung cancer cases according to the Lung Cancer Foundation of America.

The operation was deemed successful by the doctors involved, and lasted approximately 90 minutes. After waking normally, Leo was observed briefly before returning to his room on the hospital’s 10th floor.

At 71, Pope Leo XIV is comparatively young for his position and maintains physical activity. He engages in weekly exercise sessions, including tennis matches with his personal secretary, and enjoys horse riding at the papal retreat in Castel Gandolfo.

Though Leo has no known smoking history, cancer features in his family’s medical background. The Vatican disclosed that on the same day as his surgery, Leo’s older brother Louis, residing in Florida, was also hospitalized due to a cancer condition. Leo’s mother, Mildred, succumbed to cancer in 1990 at 77 years old.

Pope Leo XIV once expressed in a letter to friends that his mother was resilient during chemotherapy treatments, making it a bit easier for him despite the distance from his family home in Chicago.

The Vatican announced the Pope will be absent from public duties until at least October 20, awaiting further updates on any additional medical treatments.