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VATICAN CITY (AP) — Pope Leo
Leo, 71, had the lower lobe of his right lung removed after doctors identified a suspected cancerous nodule.
The surgery confirmed he had adenocarcinoma, the most common type of lung cancer.
His personal doctor and surgeon said in separate statements that Leo was “deemed fit to be discharged from hospital” based on the results of blood tests and a chest X-ray taken Saturday morning along with an assessment of his clinical condition.
He will leave the hospital in the afternoon and return to the Vatican, the Vatican said in a brief statement.
With complete transparency, Leo announced last Sunday to the faithful gathered in St. Peter’s Square that doctors had identified a lump on his lung, and it would be removed.
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Since surgery on Tuesday that confirmed his cancer diagnosis, Leo has given strong indications that he is recovering well, including by making a phone call with Russian President Vladimir Putin, meeting with his aides and celebrating Mass in the hospital chapel.
Additional medical bulletins from his personal physician and surgeon also indicated a good post-operative recovery allowing him to perform “normal daily activities completely on his own.”
The Vatican on Friday released the first image of Leo since his lung cancer surgery, showing him standing at an altar in a hospital chapel in a green robe, as doctors said tests confirmed his “continuous improvement.”
Leo led the liturgy alone, distributing Communion to Vatican medics and police who were present, Vatican spokesman Matteo Bruni said. He also delivered a homily in which he thanked the hospital staff “for the work they do every day in caring for sick people in their fragile condition, and especially for what they have done for him,” Bruni said.
The Vatican had initially expected the patient to be hospitalized for a week, and had canceled audiences until Tuesday. Bruni said the patient’s discharge date depends on the Pope’s doctor.
The Pope’s next big agenda is a trip to Latin America on November 6-17, which gives Leo three more weeks to recover before undertaking an ambitious trip that includes a dozen flights and two helicopter rides.
The Vatican has given signs that it is all systems go by publishing the names of journalists accredited to fly on the Leo plane on Friday. And surgical oncologists say protocol generally allows patients to fly after three weeks, as long as recovery allows.
Doctors are still waiting for test results to understand the molecular and genetic makeup of the cancer, whether the cancer has spread beyond the lobe, and whether further treatment is needed.
© 2026 Canadian Press
