Pope Leo diagnosed with cancer after having surgery to remove part of his lung

Pope Leo XIV has been diagnosed with lung cancer and has had successful surgery to remove a lower lobe of his right lung, the Vatican has announced. The pontiff, 71, underwent a 90 minute surgery on Tuesday (13 October) at Rome’s Gemelli Hospital and has been diagnosed with lung adenocarcinoma. In a statement the Vatican said: “After the operation, the Pope awoke normally and returned after a brief period of observation to his room on the 10th floor.” Shorts It also said a lump was first detected during what the Vatican has described as “routine checks”, and the whole lower lobe of his right lung was removed “to ensure the procedure was radical”. The announcement comes after earlier large crowds gathered outside the hospital to greet the Catholic church’s leader, before he underwent surgery. Speaking to Agence France-Presse news agency, a Vatican source said further tests were being carried out to see if there was any sign the cancer had spread. This breaking news story is being updated. EXPLORE MORE ON THE TOPICS IN THIS STORY