Pope Leo XIV to have surgery to remove an early-stage lung nodule

Pope Leo XIV is due to have surgery to remove a lung nodule found during a routine exam.

The 71-year-old pope is expected to be admitted on Tuesday for the procedure.

Doctors found the nodule at an early stage, though the source does not say whether it is cancerous.

Lung nodules are small growths that often cause no symptoms and may be discovered by chance during imaging tests.

Most nodules are benign, and about 5% are cancerous, according to the American Thoracic Society.

Smoking, long-term exposure to air pollution or toxic substances, and a family history of lung cancer are risk factors.

Doctors may use a biopsy if a nodule grows quickly, has irregular edges, or the patient has risk factors; treatment depends on its type, size, and development.