Key takeaways
- According to NPR, surgeons used a video-assisted technique to remove the lower lobe of Pope Leo XIV's right lung in an operation of about 90 minutes.
- The pope, 71, left Gemelli Hospital in Rome on Saturday, Oct. 17, on his fifth day in the hospital, walking out without physical support.
- Outside surgeons not involved in his care say patients are typically cleared to travel about two weeks after this kind of operation, while recovery estimates for the pope himself range from one week to about 10 days.
- The Vatican has not said what stage the cancer is, whether it has spread, or whether further treatment is planned.
Pope Leo XIV, 71, walked out of Rome’s Gemelli Hospital on Saturday, Oct. 17, on the fifth day of his stay. Days earlier, surgeons had removed the lower lobe of his right lung and tissue testing had confirmed lung adenocarcinoma. According to NPR, the team used a video-assisted technique and the operation lasted about 90 minutes.
That technique is the one real piece of medical technology in a story otherwise about faith, family and travel plans, so it’s worth a closer look at what’s actually known about it.
What is video-assisted lung surgery?
It’s a surgical approach in which video guides the surgeon’s work. In the pope’s case, NPR reports that surgeons used it to take out the lower lobe of his right lung. The Vatican hasn’t described the specifics, including how many incisions were made or what equipment was used.
That gap matters if you’re hoping for a tidy explainer on the mechanics. The public record gives us the name of the technique, the part of the lung removed and the length of the operation. It doesn’t give us an operative report, and the Holy See Press Office hasn’t offered one.
What the pope’s operation involved
The procedure removed more than the nodule first announced. Leo told crowds in St. Peter’s Square the previous Sunday that doctors had found a localized nodule at a very early stage. Per NPR, surgeons ended up taking the whole lower lobe of the right lung. Axios described the operation more simply as removing a cancerous nodule, which is a less precise account.
The nodule turned up during a routine check, according to NBC News, and it’s the first publicly disclosed health issue of his papacy. After surgery, tissue was examined and confirmed as lung adenocarcinoma, a form of non-small cell lung cancer. NPR cites the Lung Cancer Foundation of America as saying adenocarcinoma makes up about 40% of lung cancers in the US. NBC cites the American Lung Association as saying non-small cell types account for 80% of all lung cancer cases.
Doctors outside the case say removing a larger portion of lung than first announced isn’t in itself a bad sign. They aren’t treating him, so treat that as general commentary, not a read on his chart.
Why did he go home so quickly?
The Vatican hasn’t explained it beyond the medical clearance. The Holy See Press Office said blood tests and a chest X-ray on Saturday morning, plus a clinical assessment, showed he was fit for discharge. Drs. Luigi Carbone and Stefano Margaritora were named in the statement. NPR and CBS News both characterized the discharge as sooner than expected.
The pace of the days before it is documented. Leo resumed working from the hospital on Thursday, according to his doctors and the Vatican. On Friday, the Vatican released the first images since surgery, showing him celebrating Mass in a makeshift hospital chapel, and doctors reported continued improvement. Before leaving on Saturday, he celebrated Mass in a room set aside on the 10th floor. He walked out without physical support and waved to well-wishers.
Outside surgeons see the timeline as unremarkable. Weill Cornell Medical Center’s Dr. Jonathan Villena Vargas, a cardiothoracic surgeon with no role in the pope’s care, told NPR:
“Because we do this all the time, most patients are allowed to travel about two weeks after the surgery.” (NPR)
The pope’s fitness may also matter, though no doctor treating him has said so. Leo isn’t known to have smoked, plays tennis weekly with his personal secretary and rides horses at Castel Gandolfo, NPR reports.
Recovery estimates don’t match
Depending on who’s talking, the pope’s recovery is about a week or about 10 days. Vatican spokesperson Matteo Bruni estimated roughly one week of post-operative recovery. NBC reports that Margaritora, who led the surgical team, put full recovery at roughly 10 days.
Oncologist Otis Brawley of Johns Hopkins, who previously served as the American Cancer Society’s chief medical and scientific officer, gave NPR a similar window of 7 to 10 days for a return to normal. Villena Vargas’s two weeks refers to travel, not to a return to routine. Neither expert is involved in the care.
Dr. Vin Gupta, a pulmonologist and American Lung Association board member, also isn’t treating the pope. He told NPR:
“The fact that surgery was the first tool that they utilized is a really good sign. It suggests that they think this is early stage.” (NPR)
That’s an inference from the choice of treatment. The Vatican hasn’t given a stage, so I wouldn’t read a prognosis into any of this.
What this means if you or a family member face lung surgery
Most readers aren’t pope-level cases, but the story gives you concrete questions to bring to a surgeon. Ask whether a video-assisted approach is an option for your situation, how much lung would be removed, how long the operation usually takes and what the typical hospital stay looks like. This one case can’t answer any of those for you.
It also shows how widely the word recovery stretches. Leaving the hospital, getting back to work, resuming public duties and being cleared to fly are different milestones. In the pope’s case they’re being discussed on different timelines: a five-day stay, a schedule cleared through at least Oct. 20, and a Latin America trip starting Nov. 11.
If you’re trying to understand the disease behind the headlines, a patient-friendly history of cancer can help. Siddhartha Mukherjee’s The Emperor of All Maladies is a well-regarded place to start, though it won’t tell you anything about this specific case.
The trip and the schedule
Margaritora told Vatican News that no clinical reasons stand in the way of the planned trip to Uruguay, Argentina and Peru next month. It’s set to start Nov. 11 and run two weeks, including a weeklong Peru visit. Leo lived in Peru on and off for about two decades and holds Peruvian citizenship.
Peru’s president, Keiko Fujimori, has said, as reported by NBC, that the pace of his recovery could determine whether he makes the Peru visit. That’s her comment alone; the surgeon’s statement points the other way. The pope is expected to lead the Sunday Angelus from the window of the papal apartment, and his public schedule is cleared until at least Oct. 20.
What’s still unknown
The big gaps are medical. The Vatican hasn’t said what stage the cancer is or whether it has spread. Neither the doctors nor the Vatican has indicated any further treatment, so whether he’ll need chemotherapy, radiation or just monitoring isn’t known.
Why the surgery took the entire lower lobe rather than just the nodule, and whether that was planned, hasn’t been explained. The 90-minute figure and the lower-lobe detail come from NPR alone, so they haven’t been confirmed elsewhere.
The pope’s older brother Louis, who lives in Florida, was announced Tuesday as hospitalized with a form of cancer. His type and condition haven’t been disclosed. Their mother, Mildred, died of cancer in 1990. Which public events the pope will attend between Oct. 20 and the trip isn’t settled either.
Tools & products mentioned
- The Emperor of All Maladies on Amazon — Check current price
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Frequently asked questions
What kind of surgery did Pope Leo XIV have?
According to NPR, surgeons used a video-assisted technique to remove the lower lobe of his right lung in an operation of about 90 minutes. Other outlets described it more simply as lung surgery.
What type of lung cancer does the pope have?
Tissue examined after surgery confirmed lung adenocarcinoma, a type of non-small cell lung cancer. The Vatican hasn't given a stage or said whether it has spread.
How long will Pope Leo take to recover?
Vatican spokesperson Matteo Bruni estimated about one week, while NBC reports the surgeon said about 10 days. Outside oncologist Otis Brawley, who isn't treating him, suggested 7 to 10 days.
Is the pope still going to South America?
His surgeon told Vatican News there are no clinical reasons to cancel the trip, which is set to start Nov. 11. Peru's president said his recovery pace could decide the Peru leg.
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Sources
This article was compiled from reporting by the following outlets. Links go to the original reports.
- Axios: A welcome recovery milestone for Pope Leo after cancer surgery
- NPR: Pope Leo XIV leaves hospital days after lung cancer surgery
- NBC News: Pope Leo discharged from hospital after lung cancer surgery
- CBS News: Pope Leo discharged from Rome hospital ahead of schedule after successful lung surgery
