# Pope Leo XIV discharged after lung cancer surgery

> The pontiff left hospital five days after surgery to remove part of his right lung, with doctors saying his prognosis is very good.
- Title: Pope Leo XIV discharged after lung cancer surgery · NPR
- Summary: The pontiff left hospital five days after surgery to remove part of his right lung, with doctors saying his prognosis is very good. Pope Leo XIV was…
- Keywords: pope leo xiv, lung cancer, surgery, vatican, rome, gemelli hospital, news, Pope, Leo, XIV, discharged, lung
- Source: NPR — https://npr.org/2026/10/17/nx-s1-6006762/pope-leo-xiv-leaves-hospital-days-after-lung-cancer-surgery
- Published: 2026-10-17T00:00:00+00:00
- Read time: 1 min
- Topics: pope leo xiv, lung cancer, surgery, vatican, rome, gemelli hospital, news
## Pope leaves hospital after lung surgery
Pope Leo XIV left Rome's Gemelli Hospital on Saturday afternoon and returned to the Vatican after doctors said he was well enough to be discharged following surgery that removed part of his right lung.
## Doctors confirm early discharge
Dr.Luigi Carbone, the Pope's personal physician, and Professor Stefano Margaritora, Gemelli's chief of thoracic surgery, said blood tests and a chest X-ray that morning confirmed Leo could leave hospital.
## Pope announced diagnosis publicly
Leo, seventy-one, told crowds in St.Peter's Square last Sunday that doctors had discovered a localized nodule in his lung at a very early stage.He said he decided to undergo an operation to remove it.

> Following their advice, I have therefore decided to undergo an operation to remove it.
## Surgery removed lower lobe of right lung
The surgery on Tuesday used a video-assisted technique to remove the lower lobe of the Pope's right lung in an operation lasting about ninety minutes. Lung tissue examined afterward confirmed a diagnosis of lung adenocarcinoma.
## Cancer runs in Leo's family
Leo is not known to have smoked, but cancer runs in his family.His mother, Mildred, died of cancer in nineteen ninety.
## Doctors say early detection is encouraging
Dr.Vin Gupta, a pulmonologist and board member of the American Lung Association, told NPR that using surgery as the first tool is a good sign suggesting early stage cancer.

> The fact that surgery was the first tool that they utilized is a really good sign.
## Leo expected to resume travel in November
Vatican spokesperson Matteo Bruni said estimated post-operative recovery time will be about one week.Leo's office cleared his public schedule until at least October twentieth.
## Key takeaway

Pope Leo XIV was discharged from Rome's Gemelli Hospital five days after surgery removed part of his right lung to treat lung adenocarcinoma, with doctors saying recovery should take about one week.