Pope Leo XIV shows improvement after lung cancer surgery, plans Sunday appearance
Pope Leo XIV leaves the Vatican before being admitted to Rome's Gemelli University Hospital for an operation to remove a lump from his lung, in the Vatican on 13 October 2026. (Photo by Tiziana FABI / AFP via Getty Images)
ROME - Doctors said Pope Leo XIV is showing "continued improvement" after lung cancer surgery, and the Vatican announced he will make his first public appearance Sunday to deliver his traditional noontime prayer.
What they're saying:
"His post-operative recovery allows him to carry out his normal daily activities completely on his own," said a medical update signed by Leo’s physician, Dr. Luigi Carbone, and Dr. Stefano Margaritora, head of thoracic surgery at Gemelli hospital.
RELATED: Pope Leo XIV has lung cancer, Vatican says
Dig deeper:
The 71-year-old pope presided over Mass Friday and distributed Communion in a hospital chapel, Vatican spokesman Matteo Bruni said. Leo had the lower lobe of his right lung removed Oct. 13 after doctors found a suspected cancerous nodule. Tests confirmed adenocarcinoma, the most common type of lung cancer.
Pope Leo's lung nodule discovered at 'very early stage'
Pope Leo XIV will be admitted to Rome's Gemelli Hospital on Tuesday morning to undergo surgery to remove a small nodule from his lung, the Vatican announced Monday. The 71-year-old pontiff, the first American pope, disclosed the diagnosis himself during his traditional Sunday noon blessing in St. Peter’s Square, telling the crowd that the lesion was found at an early, "circumscribed" stage during routine medical testing. The operation, which marks the first major health event of Leo’s 17-month papacy, is scheduled to take place in the coming days. While the Vatican has canceled the pope's public events through Oct. 20, officials noted that his post-operative recovery is expected to take about a week and that he still intends to proceed with an 11-day tour of South America in November. Dr. Omer Awan joins LiveNOW's Shawna Khalafi to discuss.
The Vatican also released the names of journalists accredited to join Leo on his Nov. 6-17 trip to Uruguay, Argentina and Peru, signaling that the trip remains on schedule, although plans could change.
Cardinal Pietro Parolin said Leo’s Sunday prayer could be delivered from the hospital, depending on his recovery.
"We can’t make any type of predictions," Parolin said. "The question now is when he will return, under what circumstances he will return, and what the doctors say. And based on all these factors, the pope will then adjust his pontificate, if it needs to be adjusted."
What's next:
Doctors are awaiting additional tests to determine whether the cancer has spread and whether further treatment is needed.
Local perspective:
The Vatican also shared get-well notes from pediatric cancer patients at Gemelli. "My mother and I pray for you every night. Get well soon," 7-year-old Angelo wrote.
The Source: The Associated Press contributed to this report. The information came from a medical update signed by Pope Leo XIV’s doctors at Gemelli hospital, statements from Vatican spokesman Matteo Bruni and Cardinal Pietro Parolin, and Vatican-released photos and messages from pediatric cancer patients.This story was reported from Los Angeles.