Pope Leo XIV’s Lung Recovering Well After Cancer Surgery as Doctors Report Normal Post-Operative Tests

The Vatican says the 71-year-old pontiff has resumed working from his hospital room in Rome after undergoing surgery for lung cancer. Doctors report encouraging signs of recovery, although further tests are needed to determine whether additional treatment will be required.

By Open Chronicle News Desk with Agencies

ROME | October 15, 2026

Pope Leo XIV is recovering well following surgery to remove a cancerous nodule from his right lung, with doctors reporting normal post-operative test results and encouraging signs of healing.

The 71-year-old pontiff has also resumed some of his official duties from Rome’s Gemelli hospital, where he remains under medical supervision following Tuesday’s operation.

According to a medical update issued Thursday by his personal physician, Dr. Luigi Carbone, and Dr. Stefano Margaritora, head of thoracic surgery at Gemelli hospital, examinations indicate that the operated lung is recovering as expected.

“The chest X-ray revealed good recovery of the operated lung,” the doctors reported.

“Overall, his postoperative recovery is proceeding as expected.”

The Vatican separately confirmed that Leo has resumed reviewing documents and carrying out limited work from his hospital room.

Although the latest medical assessment is reassuring, important questions remain about the precise characteristics of the cancer and whether further treatment will be necessary.

Doctors Report Encouraging Recovery

The medical team overseeing Pope Leo’s recovery said Thursday that his post-operative examinations remained within normal parameters.

The latest assessment included chest imaging and physiotherapy designed to support mobility and recovery following thoracic surgery.

According to the doctors, Leo participated in exercises involving full mobility and was able to perform his daily activities independently.

These developments are significant because recovery from lung surgery requires careful monitoring of respiratory function, physical mobility and possible complications.

The medical update suggests that the pontiff is progressing through the immediate post-operative period without the complications identified in the information released Thursday.

However, a satisfactory early recovery does not determine the longer-term outlook for the underlying cancer.

Doctors will continue assessing his condition as additional test results become available.

Surgery Confirmed Lung Adenocarcinoma

Pope Leo underwent surgery Tuesday after doctors identified a suspicious nodule in his right lung.

During the operation, surgeons removed the lower lobe of his right lung.

The procedure, known as a lobectomy, involves removing one of the lung’s anatomical sections and may be used to treat certain lung cancers when surgery is considered appropriate.

Subsequent examination confirmed that the nodule was an adenocarcinoma.

Adenocarcinoma is the most common histological type of lung cancer and belongs to the broader category of non-small cell lung cancers.

It develops from glandular cells and can occur in people with different smoking histories.

The diagnosis establishes the type of cancer identified in the removed tissue, but it does not by itself establish how advanced the disease is or whether it has spread.

The Vatican’s medical update did not provide a definitive cancer stage.

Further Tests Will Determine Whether Additional Treatment Is Needed

Doctors are awaiting further results to establish the cancer’s molecular characteristics and assess whether it extended beyond the removed lung lobe.

These findings will help determine whether the operation is sufficient or whether additional treatment should be considered.

Several factors are relevant to decisions following lung cancer surgery, including tumour size, surgical margins, lymph-node involvement, pathological stage and specific molecular characteristics.

Molecular testing may identify biological features that help guide treatment decisions in some patients.

Depending on the findings, doctors may consider additional therapies, although no such treatment has been announced for Pope Leo.

The available medical information does not establish that the cancer has spread.

Equally, the encouraging post-operative results should not be interpreted as confirmation that all cancer-related risks have been eliminated.

For now, the medical team is concentrating on recovery from surgery while awaiting the outstanding diagnostic findings.

Pope Resumes Work From Hospital

Despite his hospitalisation, Leo has begun returning to some of his regular responsibilities.

The Vatican said Thursday that the pope had reviewed documents from his hospital room.

He also celebrated Mass for the second consecutive day with other priests in a chapel specially prepared near his room on the tenth floor of Gemelli hospital.

The resumption of these activities indicates that Leo is sufficiently comfortable to undertake limited work and participate in religious observances.

Nevertheless, his schedule remains subject to medical supervision.

The Vatican has not announced a date for his discharge.

The pontiff is expected to remain hospitalised until at least October 20, allowing doctors to continue monitoring his recovery.

South America Visit Remains on the Calendar

Questions have also emerged concerning the pope’s planned pastoral journey to South America, scheduled for November 6–17.

The itinerary includes Peru, Uruguay and Argentina.

With the visit due to begin only weeks after major lung surgery, attention has turned to whether Leo will be medically fit to undertake international travel.

Asked about possible changes, Vatican spokesman Matteo Bruni referred journalists to remarks made by the pontiff on Sunday, when he publicly announced the discovery of the lung nodule and his forthcoming operation.

Addressing a Peruvian group in Spanish, Leo said:

“Thank you for your prayers for the pastoral visit I will make to Peru.”

The remarks indicated his intention to proceed with the journey.

However, the Vatican’s reference to those comments does not amount to a new medical clearance for travel.

No revised itinerary or cancellation was announced in the supplied update.

The final decision may depend on Leo’s continued recovery and the results of further examinations.

The Importance of Recovery After Lung Surgery

Lung surgery is a significant procedure, particularly for older patients.

Following a lobectomy, medical teams monitor breathing, pain control, wound healing, mobility and potential complications.

Physiotherapy and early mobilisation are often important components of recovery because they help patients regain physical function and reduce some risks associated with prolonged inactivity.

The encouraging chest X-ray described by Leo’s doctors suggests satisfactory early healing of the operated lung.

His ability to move independently and resume selected daily activities also represents a positive development.

However, recovery rates vary considerably between patients.

Age alone does not determine surgical outcomes, and individual progress depends on several medical factors.

The Vatican has not disclosed all details of the pope’s underlying health status or the complete findings from his operation.

It would therefore be premature to draw conclusions about his long-term prognosis.

A Medical Update Watched Across the Catholic World

The pope’s health carries considerable importance for the Roman Catholic Church and its global institutions.

As head of the Catholic Church, Leo is responsible for religious leadership, major appointments, diplomatic engagement and pastoral activities involving communities around the world.

A period of hospitalisation can require adjustments to audiences, meetings and international commitments.

The Vatican has continued providing updates on the pontiff’s condition, offering information about his immediate recovery while leaving outstanding medical questions to his treating physicians.

The fact that Leo has resumed reviewing documents and celebrating Mass is likely to reassure Catholics following his recovery.

Still, his medical team remains responsible for determining the appropriate pace of activity.

The pope’s return to work does not necessarily mean that he is ready to resume his full public schedule.

Gemelli Hospital and Papal Medical Care

Rome’s Gemelli hospital is one of Italy’s major medical institutions and has a long association with the healthcare of Catholic pontiffs.

Its specialist services include thoracic surgery and other advanced medical disciplines.

Leo is receiving care from a team that includes his personal physician and the hospital’s thoracic surgery specialists.

The medical updates released Thursday emphasised both the results of diagnostic examinations and the pope’s functional recovery.

Those are separate but complementary indicators.

The first helps clinicians monitor the physical effects of surgery, while the second provides information about how the patient is managing ordinary activities.

Further assessments will be needed before the medical team can establish a complete picture of his recovery and cancer-related treatment requirements.

The Big Picture: Encouraging Recovery, but Important Questions Remain

Thursday’s medical update provides encouraging news about Pope Leo XIV’s immediate recovery.

His chest X-ray indicates that the operated lung is healing well, post-operative tests remain within normal levels and he is able to move independently.

The pontiff has also resumed limited work and religious activities from his hospital room.

These developments suggest that his early recovery is proceeding according to medical expectations.

However, the confirmed diagnosis of lung adenocarcinoma means that doctors must still determine the disease’s precise characteristics and extent.

The outstanding results will be important in assessing whether surgery has adequately addressed the cancer or whether additional treatment is appropriate.

His planned November journey to South America remains another question.

Although the Vatican has not announced changes, the trip’s proximity to the operation makes continued medical assessment essential.

For now, the central message from Pope Leo’s doctors is cautiously positive: the surgery has been followed by satisfactory early recovery, but a complete assessment of his cancer and future treatment needs is still pending.