Pope Leo XIV 'Progressing as Expected' After Lung Cancer Surgery, Doctors Confirm Return to Walking and Normal Diet

Pope Leo XIV is recovering in line with medical expectations following surgery to remove the lower lobe of his right lung, according to an update issued by his doctors and shared by the Vatican. The 71-year-old pontiff has begun walking again and has returned to a normal diet after undergoing the roughly 90-minute procedure earlier this week. The encouraging bulletin, released on Wednesday, offered the first substantive indication of how the Pope is faring since he was admitted to Rome's Gemelli Hospital for the operation.

According to the medical team, blood tests and an X-ray carried out early on Wednesday morning showed that the Pope's recovery was "proceeding normally." In addition to resuming mobility and ordinary eating, the pontiff has also begun respiratory physiotherapy, a standard component of post-operative care for patients who have undergone lung surgery. The doctors characterised his overall trajectory as "progressing as expected," a phrase that suggests no unforeseen complications have arisen during the initial phase of recuperation.

The surgery took place on Tuesday afternoon and was described by the Vatican as "successful," with no complications reported during the operation itself. The entire lower lobe of the Pope's right lung was removed, a decision the Vatican said was taken "to ensure the procedure was radical." Surgeons apparently opted for a complete lobectomy rather than a more limited excision in order to minimise the risk that any malignant tissue might remain. Following the operation, the Vatican said, the Pope awoke normally and was returned to his room after a brief period of observation. He subsequently spent what officials described as a "peaceful night" at the hospital.

Pope Leo is expected to remain at the Gemelli for approximately one week as he continues his recovery, though the Vatican has not provided a more precise timeline for his discharge. The hospital, one of Italy's largest and most renowned medical facilities, is the same institution where his predecessor, Pope Francis, was treated on multiple occasions. The pontiff's hospitalisation has therefore drawn particular attention among Catholics who retain vivid memories of those earlier stays.

The cancer diagnosis was confirmed only after the removed tissue was examined, although the Vatican indicated that pre-operative tests had already raised the suspicion of malignancy. The Pope has been diagnosed with lung adenocarcinoma. He had announced during his weekly Sunday prayers in St Peter's Square that he would be admitted for the operation, telling the crowd that doctors had discovered a "well-contained" nodule on his lung "at an early stage" and had advised him to have it removed. Nodules of this kind are relatively common and are not necessarily cancerous, but in this instance the medical team confirmed the growth was malignant.

A Vatican source told the news agency AFP that further tests were being carried out to determine whether the cancer had spread beyond the lung. That question is central to the Pope's long-term outlook, since the stage at which lung cancer is identified strongly influences prognosis and the range of treatment options available. The Vatican has stressed that the Pope, who is generally regarded as being in good physical condition, displayed no symptoms of infection or illness prior to the discovery of the nodule.

Lung adenocarcinoma develops in the cells that produce mucus and ranks among the most frequently diagnosed forms of lung cancer. Its long-term prognosis depends on several variables, including how early the disease is detected and the patient's general state of health. When adenocarcinoma is caught at an early stage, as appears to have been the case here, outcomes tend to be considerably more favourable. Diagnostic techniques and treatment approaches have improved substantially over recent decades, and some adenocarcinomas are now identified incidentally during routine tests before any symptoms appear. At more advanced stages, lung cancer can produce a persistent cough, breathlessness, fatigue and weight loss.

The news of the diagnosis has reverberated among Catholic communities around the world, many of whose members have followed the health of recent popes with close attention. Pope Leo's predecessor died last year and had also had part of a lung removed in his youth, before enduring a series of respiratory infections later in life. That history has lent additional poignancy to the current pontiff's situation, even as the Vatican has sought to project an air of calm and routine competence in its daily medical briefings.

For now, the emphasis from the Vatican and the medical team remains on the Pope's steady, unremarkable progress: walking, eating normally, undergoing physiotherapy and recovering in a manner his doctors consider typical for a patient of his age and condition. Further updates are expected as his week-long hospital stay continues, and the question of whether the cancer has spread will likely shape how the Church and the faithful understand what comes next for the 71-year-old leader of the world's Catholics.

The Pope's public schedule has been suspended for the duration of his hospitalisation, and no announcements have been made about when he might resume his duties. The Vatican has not commented on what the recovery period will mean for his forthcoming engagements. Should his recuperation proceed without setback, he would be discharged around the middle of next week, though doctors have cautioned that such timetables remain provisional.

The episode has also focused attention on the broader significance of early detection in lung cancer, a disease that frequently goes unnoticed until it has advanced. The Pope's case, in which a well-contained nodule was identified before symptoms emerged, illustrates the value of timely investigation and surgical intervention. Whatever the ultimate prognosis, the initial medical bulletins have provided a measure of reassurance to a global congregation awaiting news of its leader's health.