Health · Medical Research · 1 day ago
Pope Leo XIV to Have Surgery for Early-Detected Lung Nodule
Pope Leo XIV says doctors found a small, localized nodule in his lung during recent medical tests.
He said it was detected at a very early stage and that he agreed to surgery on his doctors’ advice.
The operation is expected to take place within days at Gemelli Hospital in Rome, which has treated popes for decades.
Vatican officials expect his recovery to take about a week.
Leo, 71, became the first US-born pope in May 2025 and leads about 1.4 billion Catholics worldwide.
The Vatican has not said whether the operation will affect his planned visits to Uruguay, Argentina and Peru from November 6 to 17.
Pope Leo XIV said a lung nodule was detected at a very early stage and is highly localized.
He said he will undergo surgery to remove it in the coming days, following doctors’ advice.
The Vatican press office said the pope is expected to have surgery at Gemelli Hospital in Rome and recover for about a week.
It is not known whether the surgery and recovery will affect his planned November trip to Uruguay, Argentina and Peru.
- Who
- Pope Leo XIV.
- What
- He is to have surgery to remove a lung nodule detected at an early stage.
- When
- The surgery is scheduled for the coming days; an exact date was not stated.
- Where
- Gemelli Hospital in Rome.
- Why
- Doctors said medical intervention was needed to remove the nodule.
This story does not have two clearly opposing sides.
In a recent medical examination, a nodule was found in my lung. This nodule was detected at a very early stage and is highly localized.
The doctors believe that medical intervention is necessary, and therefore, following their advice, I have decided to undergo surgery to remove the nodule. The operation has been scheduled to take place in the coming days.
The calm he showed while speaking during the Angelus prayer today gives us reassurance.
Doctors found a nodule in the pope’s lung and detected it at a very early stage.
Leo announced during his weekly address that he would have surgery in the coming days.
Surgery to remove the nodule is expected at Gemelli Hospital in Rome, followed by about a week of recovery.
Leo is scheduled to visit Uruguay, Argentina and Peru, though it is not known whether surgery will affect the trip.
- Nodule
- Detected at a very early stage and described as highly localized
- Hospital
- Gemelli Hospital, Rome
- Expected recovery
- About one week
- Planned trip
- Uruguay, Argentina and Peru, November 6–17
- Announced
- October 11, 2026
Sources
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Pope Leo XIV to have surgery to remove early-stage lung nodule
