Pope Leo XIV Discharged After Surgery For Lung Cancer
By Sabiu Abdullahi
Pope Leo XIV has been discharged from hospital four days after undergoing surgery to remove the lower lobe of his right lung following a diagnosis of lung cancer.
The 71-year-old pontiff left Rome’s Gemelli Hospital on Saturday afternoon and returned to the Vatican after doctors determined that he was fit to leave, according to Reuters.
He reportedly walked unaided to his waiting car and briefly addressed well-wishers outside the hospital.
His discharge followed blood tests and chest imaging conducted earlier on Saturday. Doctors said the operation, which took place on Tuesday, was successful and ended without complications.
The surgery was performed after doctors detected a suspected cancerous nodule in his right lung. Subsequent findings confirmed lung adenocarcinoma, the most common type of lung cancer, Reuters reported.
However, details about the tumour’s size and whether the cancer had spread to nearby lymph nodes have not been disclosed. Such information is important in determining the likely course of the disease.
Meanwhile, the Vatican announced on Saturday that the “Pope would lead the traditional Angelus prayer on Sunday from the window of the papal apartment overlooking St Peter’s Square.”
The appearance would mark his first public engagement since the operation.
Pope Leo XIV was elected in May 2025, becoming the first American to lead the Roman Catholic Church.