Pope Leo needs no further treatment after lung surgery, doctors say

Pope Leo XIV will not need further treatment following lung cancer surgery, his doctors said Wednesday, according to NBC News. The Vatican’s press office released an update from Dr. Luigi Carbone and Prof. Stefano Margaritora, who said final analyses of tissue removed during surgery were completed.

“The results have confirmed that the condition was a pulmonary adenocarcinoma and that the disease was localized,” the doctors said. “A subsequent oncological evaluation has confirmed that no further therapy is required,” the statement said. The 71-year-old had surgery earlier this month at Rome’s Gemelli Hospital to remove a lung nodule found during routine medical tests. He returned to public duties on Sunday.

The pope is scheduled to depart on Nov. 6 for a 12-day trip to Uruguay, Argentina and Peru. “As for a long trip involving air travel in about three weeks, I would say there are no clinical reasons why it should not take place,” surgeon Margaritora told Vatican News on Saturday.