Pope Leo being released from hospital today as doctors say 71-year-old is fit for discharge after lung cancer surgery
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Pope Leo XIV is being discharged from hospital four days after surgery to remove a cancerous mass from his right lung. Doctors say his tests and clinical condition show he is fit to leave, and the Vatican expects him to give the traditional noon blessing on Sunday.
The 71-year-old was diagnosed with adenocarcinoma after doctors found a lung lesion. He has been recovering well, holding meetings and celebrating Mass in hospital, while tests to establish whether he needs further treatment are pending. The Vatican had initially expected a week-long stay; Leo is also due to travel to Latin America next month.
- Pope Leo is leaving hospital after lung cancer surgery.
- Doctors say his recovery supports discharge.
- Further tests will determine whether he needs treatment.
Full account
Pope Leo XIV is due to leave Rome’s Gemelli Hospital on Saturday afternoon, four days after surgery to remove a cancerous growth from his right lung. The Vatican said the 71-year-old pontiff was fit to be discharged and would return to the Vatican. His doctors based their assessment on his clinical condition, blood tests and a chest X-ray taken on Saturday morning.
The operation on Tuesday lasted about 90 minutes and involved removing the lower lobe of his right lung. Doctors identified the cancer as adenocarcinoma, the most common form of lung cancer. The Vatican has not announced the results of further tests intended to establish whether the disease has spread, or whether additional treatment will be needed.
Leo has appeared to recover well. He has met aides, spoken by telephone with Russian President Vladimir Putin and celebrated Mass in the hospital chapel. Images released on Friday showed him standing at the altar and distributing Communion to hospital staff and Vatican gendarmes. His doctors reported continued improvement, while the Vatican said he would give the traditional Angelus prayer and blessing from a window overlooking St Peter’s Square on Sunday.
The announcement of his discharge comes sooner than the Vatican’s initial estimate of a week in hospital. His schedule has been cleared until 20 October, and it remains uncertain whether he will be able to make a planned trip to Latin America in early November, including a visit to Peru, where he served as a missionary. The Vatican’s disclosure of his diagnosis and recovery has also drawn attention because information about previous popes’ health was often closely guarded.
Where outlets differ
Both reports say Leo is expected to give the Sunday Angelus blessing, but the first specifies that it is expected from a window overlooking St Peter’s Square.
The first report identifies the tumour as adenocarcinoma and describes the Vatican’s unusually open approach to the Pope’s health. The second gives more detail about the removed lower lobe, notes that tests for possible spread remain unreported, and discusses uncertainty about further treatment and the planned Latin America trip.
The second report gives more attention to Leo’s call with Putin in the context of Russia’s war in Ukraine, including the Pope’s appeal for a humanitarian ceasefire in Oleshkiy. That material is not included in the first report.