Pope Leo XIV leaves hospital days after lung cancer surgery

Pope Leo XIV has returned to the Vatican after being discharged from Rome's Gemelli Hospital, concluding a hospital stay that followed surgery to remove part of his right lung to treat a cancerous tumor, according to reporting by Mynspr and Ncregister. The discharge came sooner than initially anticipated by medical officials, who had previously estimated a week-long recovery period following the operation.

The medical team overseeing the 71-year-old pontiff, led by Dr. Luigi Carbone and thoracic surgery chief Professor Stefano Margaritora, announced the discharge decision on Saturday morning. According to updates provided by Vaticannews, the clearance followed routine blood tests and a chest X-ray that confirmed his clinical recovery was progressing ahead of schedule. Video footage broadcast by Npr showed the Pope walking out of the hospital entrance without physical assistance, waving to well-wishers and greeting hospital staff before departing.

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The medical procedure took place after routine checkups detected a localized nodule in the Pope's lung. While initial announcements indicated a minor intervention, surgeons utilized a video-assisted technique during the ninety-minute operation to remove the lower lobe of his right lung. Subsequent histological examination confirmed a diagnosis of pulmonary adenocarcinoma. As reported by Abcnews, adenocarcinoma represents the most common subtype of non-small cell lung cancer, accounting for approximately forty percent of all cases in the United States.

External medical experts not involved in the papal treatment weighed in on the clinical outlook. Dr. Vin Gupta, a pulmonologist and board member of the American Lung Association, noted to Npr that utilizing surgery as the primary tool suggests an early-stage detection. Dr. Jonathan Villena Vargas, a cardiothoracic surgeon at Weill Cornell Medical Center, added that minimally invasive procedures of this nature typically allow patients to resume travel within a fortnight.

Throughout his brief hospitalization, the pontiff maintained aspects of his administrative workload and received visits from high-ranking Holy See officials, including Archbishop Paolo Rudelli, Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle, and Cardinal Baldassare Reina, as detailed by Ncregister.

Family medical history also drew attention during the coverage, with Vatican statements noting that the Pope's mother died of cancer and his older brother, Louis, was hospitalized in Florida for a form of cancer during the same week. Despite these personal challenges, the Pope's robust baseline health—including regular tennis matches and horseback riding—was cited by physicians as a contributing factor to his rapid recovery.

Public appearances and audiences were initially cleared by the prefecture of the papal household through October 20. However, Vatican spokespersons confirmed that the pontiff will appear publicly to lead the Sunday Angelus prayer. Questions remain regarding his upcoming international itinerary, which includes a scheduled November trip to Uruguay, Argentina, and Peru, with final determinations depending on ongoing post-operative assessments.