🇻🇦 Pope Leo diagnosed with cancer as doctors remove lobe of lung, Vatican says

Pope Leo was diagnosed with a common form of lung cancer after doctors removed ​a lower lobe of his right lung in surgery on Tuesday, the Vatican said in a medical bulletin.

The 71-year-old pontiff ‌has lung adenocarcinoma, with tissue tests conducted during the operation confirming what doctors had suspected from preparatory examinations, the bulletin said.

The Vatican said earlier this week that the pope was expected to recover in hospital for about a week. All his public ‌events ⁠have been cancelled until October 20.

Leo, elected by the world's cardinals in May 2025, is relatively young for a Church leader. He enjoys sports, including tennis, and is not known to be a smoker or to have had recent health issues.

The late Pope Francis, Leo's predecessor, was hospitalised several times as he grew frail in his later years. He died aged 88 in April 2025.

Leo, who spoke in a firm, clear voice at his only ​public event on Monday, keeps a ​very busy schedule. He is due ⁠to make an 11-day tour of Uruguay, Argentina and Peru from November 6 to 17.

🔗 https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/pope-leo-enter-hospital-tuesday-surgery-lung-nodule-2026-10-13/