Pope Leo diagnosed with cancer, doctors remove part of lung: Vatican

Pope Leo was diagnosed with lung cancer after surgeons removed a part of his right lung on ​Tuesday, the Vatican said in a medical bulletin, marking a significant health setback for the 71-year-old pontiff.

The pope has lung adenocarcinoma, a common form of cancer, with tissue ‌tests conducted during the operation confirming what doctors had suspected from preparatory examinations, the bulletin said.

Leo was admitted to Rome’s Gemelli hospital on Tuesday for surgery to remove the growth that doctors had discovered in a recent routine health check.

The pope’s lead surgeon, Dr Stefano Margaritora, and his personal physician, Dr Luigi Carbone, said in a statement that the procedure lasted about 90 minutes and was successful, with no complications.

“In order to make ​the procedure curative, the lower lobe of the right lung was removed using a video-assisted technique,” they said, making clear that the aim was to eliminate ​all cancerous tissue.

Human lungs have five lobes — three in the right lung and two in the left.

A medical expert said that to assess the pope’s case, they would need to know the size of the tumour and whether the cancer had spread to his lymph nodes, information the ​Vatican did not immediately provide.

“While we have the diagnosis, we do not yet have the stage.

This is critical to prognosis and treatment,” said Dr Stephen Liu, a lung cancer ​expert at Georgetown University in Washington and division chief of haematology-oncology at MedStar Georgetown University Hospital.

“If this is a small lung cancer with no lymph nodes involved, surgery itself is likely to be curative,” he told Reuters.

“But if final analysis reveals a greater extent of cancer involvement, this indicates a poorer prognosis.” RESTING IN HIS HOSPITAL ROOM The pope regained consciousness normally after the operation and later returned to ​his hospital room, where he was resting, the medical bulletin said.

The Vatican said earlier this week that he was expected to remain in hospital for about a week ​and all his public events have been cancelled until October 20.

Leo left the Vatican ahead of the surgery shortly before 1 p.m. (1100 GMT) in Rome and was seen waving from the back of ‌a black ⁠SUV as his convoy drove about 9 km north of the Vatican to the Gemelli.

Upon arrival at the hospital, Leo shook hands with several officials, walked in front of a waiting crowd of well-wishers, some of whom shouted ‘Auguri’ (best wishes), and headed in via the main entrance.