Underwent 90-minute thoracoscopic surgery at a Rome university hospital; Vatican reports

Pope Leo XIV underwent a scheduled chest surgery and was subsequently diagnosed with lung cancer, Reuters reported on the 13th (local time), citing an announcement from the Vatican.

According to reports and the Vatican's statement, the Pope spent three hours in the operating room at the Agostino Gemelli University Hospital in Rome, Italy, that afternoon. The surgery itself lasted approximately 90 minutes.

The Vatican added that the Pope woke up normally following the procedure.

In a post-surgery statement, the medical team led by Professor Stefano Margaritora stated, "To perform a radical surgery [aimed at a complete cure], the right lower lobe of the lung was resected using a thoracoscope."

They explained, "A biopsy performed during the surgery confirmed a diagnosis of lung adenocarcinoma, which had been anticipated in pre-surgical tests."

The medical team noted, "The surgery was successful and there were no complications."

Lung adenocarcinoma refers to cancer that develops in lung cells with fluid-secreting functions. It accounts for about 40% of all lung cancers and is known to have a higher proportion among non-smokers who develop lung cancer.

Medical experts note that evaluating the Pope's condition requires knowing the size of the removed tumor and whether it has metastasized to the lymph nodes. The Vatican has not yet released specific information regarding these details.

Dr. Stephen Liu, a hematologist-oncologist at Georgetown University Hospital in the United States, told Reuters, "We have a diagnosis, but we don't yet know what stage the cancer is in." He explained, "If it is a small lung cancer with no lymph node involvement, surgery alone has a high likelihood of a complete cure. However, if final analysis results reveal that the cancer has spread more widely, it would suggest a poorer prognosis."

Earlier, the Vatican announced that all official audiences scheduled with the Pope through the 20th have been canceled due to the surgery.

At 71 years old, Pope Leo XIV is considered to have become Pope at a relatively young age compared to his predecessors. He enjoys sports such as tennis and reportedly has no significant past medical history.

Gemelli Hospital is a non-profit Catholic teaching hospital with special accommodations and a chapel reserved for the Pope on the 10th floor. The hospital has earned the nickname "the third Vatican" because Pope John Paul II spent extended periods there in the past.

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