Pope Leo XIV walking and eating normally after lung surgery

Pope Leo XIV, 71, has begun walking and resumed a normal diet after surgeons at Rome’s Gemelli Hospital removed the lower lobe of his right lung in a roughly 90-minute operation on Tuesday, the Vatican said. Doctors said on Wednesday that his recovery was “progressing as expected”.

What did the doctors say about the Pope’s recovery?

In an update shared by the Vatican, the medical team said blood tests and an X-ray carried out early on Wednesday showed the Pope’s recovery was “proceeding normally”. Pope Leo XIV has also undergone respiratory physiotherapy and spent a “peaceful night” at the hospital, according to the Vatican.

What kind of cancer was found?

The Vatican said the nodule taken from the Pope’s lung was confirmed to be cancerous, “as suspected by pre-operative tests”, and that Pope Leo XIV was diagnosed with lung adenocarcinoma. The whole lower lobe of the right lung was removed “to ensure the procedure was radical”. The operation at Rome’s Gemelli Hospital was described by the Vatican as successful, with no complications.

What is lung adenocarcinoma?

Adenocarcinomas develop in the cells that produce mucus and are one of the most common types of lung cancer. The long-term outlook depends on factors including the stage at which the cancer is identified and the patient’s overall health. At later stages, lung cancer can cause a persistent cough, breathlessness, fatigue and weight loss.

Have doctors said whether the cancer has spread?

A Vatican source told the news agency AFP that further tests were carried out to see whether the cancer had spread. The Vatican has stressed that the Pope, who is generally considered fit, had no symptoms of infection or illness.

How long will Pope Leo XIV stay in hospital?

The pontiff is expected to remain at Rome’s Gemelli Hospital for about a week. The Vatican said he awoke normally after the operation and returned to his room after a brief period of observation.

What did the Pope say before the operation?

Pope Leo XIV announced that he would be admitted for surgery during his weekly Sunday prayers, telling the crowd in St Peter’s Square that doctors had found a “well-contained” nodule on his lung “at an early stage” and advised him to have it removed. Nodules are quite common and not necessarily cancerous.

Why has the news drawn attention among Catholics?

The news has shaken Catholics worldwide, many of whom have recent memories of the hospital visits of Pope Francis, who died last year. Pope Leo XIV’s predecessor also had part of a lung removed in his youth before suffering a series of respiratory infections later in life. Pope Leo XIV leads a church with a large following in Latin America, where devotions such as the Christ of the Cubans form part of religious life.

Frequently asked questions

What type of cancer does Pope Leo XIV have?

The Vatican said Pope Leo XIV was diagnosed with lung adenocarcinoma after a nodule removed from his lung was confirmed to be cancerous, as pre-operative tests had suspected.

How long will Pope Leo XIV stay in hospital?

He is expected to remain at Rome’s Gemelli Hospital for about a week following the roughly 90-minute operation on Tuesday afternoon.

How is the Pope recovering after surgery?

Doctors said his recovery is “progressing as expected”: he has started walking, resumed a normal diet, had respiratory physiotherapy, and blood tests and an X-ray early on Wednesday showed recovery “proceeding normally”.

Has the Vatican said whether the cancer has spread?

A Vatican source told the news agency AFP that further tests were carried out to see whether the cancer had spread, but no result of those tests has been given.

With reporting from BBC News.

Stock image, not from the events described. City Skyline — Joe deSousa / Wikimedia Commons (CC0 1.0)