Pope Leo XIV is recovering well after surgery to remove a cancerous lung tumour, with a chest X-ray showing good progress two days after the operation, according to the Vatican’s medical team.
The 71-year-old pontiff underwent surgery on Tuesday at Rome’s Gemelli Hospital, where surgeons removed part of his right lung. His doctors, Luigi Carbone and Stefano Margaritora, said on Thursday that routine medical checks had produced normal results and that the operated lung was recovering well.
“This morning, the Holy Father underwent routine check-ups, which yielded normal results,” the doctors said in a statement published by the Vatican. They added that his recovery was “progressing as expected.”
The update followed an earlier Vatican statement reporting that the pope had spent a good night in hospital, got out of bed and eaten breakfast as he continued to recover from the operation.
Pope Leo announced on Sunday that he would undergo surgery to remove a nodule in his lung. Following Tuesday’s procedure, the Vatican confirmed that the growth was cancerous and that part of his right lung had been removed.
The latest medical assessment offers an encouraging update on his immediate recovery, although questions remain about the extent of the cancer. The pope is awaiting biopsy results that will help doctors determine whether the disease has spread.
On his third day in hospital, Pope Leo XIV’s doctors say his chest X-ray in the morning shows “good recovery of the lung that underwent surgery.”
The Pope carried his daily activities independently and continues a full range of physiotherapy, as his postoperative recovery progresses normally.
— Vatican News (@VaticanNews) October 15, 2026
A Vatican source also reported that Leo celebrated Mass on Wednesday in a room specially prepared for him on the hospital’s 10th floor. The development suggests that he has been able to maintain some religious activities while receiving treatment, although his medical team has not indicated when he will leave hospital.
Before the operation, the Vatican said the pope’s recovery was expected to take about a week. His scheduled audiences through 20 October have been cancelled as he recuperates.
For now, doctors say his recovery is following the expected course. The biopsy results will provide further information about his condition and help clarify the next steps in his care.
