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Pope Leo will not need any further therapy after undergoing lung cancer surgery last week, his doctors said in a statement released by the Vatican on Wednesday.
Pope Leo was diagnosed with pulmonary adenocarcinoma after part of his lung was removed
Thomson Reuters
· Posted: Oct 21, 2026 3:50 PM EDT | Last Updated: 9 minutes ago
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Pope Leo will not need any further therapy after undergoing lung cancer surgery last week, his doctors said in a statement released by the Vatican on Wednesday.
Histological examination results confirmed a diagnosis of pulmonary adenocarcinoma, a common form of lung cancer, with the disease remaining localized, the doctors said.
"A subsequent oncological evaluation has confirmed that no further therapy is required," the Pope's lead surgeon, Stefano Margaritora, and his personal physician, Luigi Carbone, said.
The Pope returned to St. Peter's Square Wednesday, waving to pilgrims and blessing babies from his open-air Popemobile as he held his first general audience at the Vatican since undergoing surgery Oct. 13.
After touring the Square, Leo offered a sermon in Italian. In the only major change from previous occasions, he gave brief greetings afterwards in seven other languages, instead of nine.
South American trip planned
The 71-year-old is due to visit Uruguay, Argentina and Peru from Nov. 6 to 17, in one of the most intense trips arranged for a Catholic leader in decades, but it remains unclear if that trip will go ahead as planned.
His lead surgeon has indicated he believes Leo will be well enough to travel.
"I would say there are no clinical reasons why this visit should not take place," he said in an interview with Vatican News.
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