Pope Leo XIV Has Lung Cancer: What the Vatican Said and What It Means

The Vatican said on October 13, 2026 that Pope Leo XIV has lung cancer. Surgery that day at Rome's Gemelli hospital removed the lower lobe of his right lung, and tests during the operation confirmed a type called lung adenocarcinoma. This page sums up what was announced, what was not, and what the National Cancer Institute (NCI) says about this kind of cancer. We are not the pope's doctors. We do not know more about his case than the Vatican has said.

What was announced

Based on reports from CBS News and PBS NewsHour, which quote the Vatican's medical bulletin:

• The pope is 71. He told people at his Sunday noon prayer that doctors had found a lung nodule and advised surgery, and that he had decided to have it.
• The surgery took place on Tuesday, October 13, at Gemelli hospital in Rome. It was led by Dr. Stefano Margaritora, the hospital's chief thoracic surgeon. CBS reports a video-assisted technique, about 90 minutes of surgery within roughly three hours in the operating room.
• The lower lobe of the right lung was removed. Examination of the tissue during the operation confirmed lung adenocarcinoma.
• The Vatican called the surgery "successful," with "no complications." The pope woke normally and returned to his hospital room.
• All papal audiences have been cancelled through October 20.

What was not announced

The reports we read say the Vatican did not give the stage of the cancer, did not say whether it had spread, and did not describe any treatment after surgery. Other reports say doctors were not currently speaking of chemotherapy or other therapy, but we did not see that in the bulletin text ourselves. Before surgery, PBS reported that oncologists said the outlook would be "excellent" if the nodule proved to be cancer found at an early stage. That was a general statement made before the results were in. It is not a prognosis for the pope.

Official Vatican pages and the DW report that readers sent us did not open for us, so we rely on the news reports above for the wording of the bulletin. We will update this page if the Vatican says more.

What lung adenocarcinoma is

NCI says adenocarcinoma "is a type of lung cancer that begins in the cells that line the alveoli and make substances such as mucus." It is one kind of non-small cell lung cancer, the most common group of lung cancers. See types of lung cancer. It is the type seen most often in people who have never smoked as well as in people who have. We do not know the pope's smoking history, and nothing in the reports we read suggests a cause.

Why removing a lobe matters

For early-stage non-small cell lung cancer, NCI lists surgery as a main treatment. A lobectomy removes a whole lobe, or section, of the lung. Whether more treatment is needed depends on the stage. NCI explains that stage describes "the size of the tumor, whether it has spread, and how far it has spread." Surgeons also examine the removed tissue and nearby lymph nodes. Those results come back days after the operation, not on the day of surgery. NCI says treatment given after surgery to lower the risk that the cancer will come back is called adjuvant therapy. See lung cancer stages and treatment by stage.

NCI also says some tests continue from time to time after treatment ends, to show whether the cancer has come back. That is why follow-up visits matter even after a successful operation. See questions to ask after lung cancer treatment.

What this means if you have a lung nodule

A nodule found on a scan is not the same as cancer. Most nodules turn out not to be cancer. Our page on what to do after a lung nodule is found on CT explains the usual next steps. NCI lists these as reasons to check with a doctor: a cough that does not go away or gets worse over time, trouble breathing, or blood in the mucus you cough up. Call 911 or go to an emergency room for severe trouble breathing or coughing up a lot of blood.

If you are in cancer treatment and have a temperature of 100.4°F (38°C) or higher, call your care team right away, day or night.

Sources

• CBS News, "Pope Leo diagnosed with lung cancer after undergoing surgery, Vatican says": cbsnews.com
• PBS NewsHour, "Pope Leo undergoes surgery to remove lung nodule at Rome's Gemelli hospital": pbs.org
• National Cancer Institute, "Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer Treatment (PDQ)": cancer.gov

How this article was prepared

An AI-assisted editorial system helped prepare this page from news reports of the Vatican's statement and NCI's lung cancer information. No named medical reviewer has reviewed it unless one is listed.

Cancer Explained is published by the National Cancer Information Foundation. It is not medical advice and does not suggest a test or treatment.

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