Pope Leo to undergo surgery after lung nodule discovery

Pope Leo has announced that he will undergo surgery in the coming days to remove a small lung nodule discovered during a recent health check.

According to Al Jazeera, the 71-year-old pontiff disclosed the development during his weekly Sunday blessing at St Peter’s Square.

“It was detected at a very early stage and is circumscribed,” Leo said.

“The doctors believe it’s best to take action, so, following their advice, I’ve decided to have surgery to remove it,” he added.

The Vatican said the pope is expected to require about one week of recovery after the procedure but did not say whether the nodule is believed to be malignant.

Lung nodules can be benign, and medical experts say many do not develop into cancer.

Leo, who has no publicly known major health problems, remains physically active.

The pope is also scheduled to visit Uruguay, Argentina and Peru from November 6 to 17, and said on Sunday that he still planned to make the trip.

Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni also wished him well.