Pope Leo XIV, the head of the Roman Catholic Church, received a diagnosis of lung adenocarcinoma on Tuesday, October 13, 2026, during a scheduled surgical intervention.
The intervention took place at the Gemelli Hospital in Rome, Italy, after the pontiff’s medical team discovered a growth during a routine health check that they decided to remove and examine.
According to a press release published by the Holy See press office, during the procedure, doctors removed the lower lobe of the Pope’s right lung “using a video-assisted technique.”
“The intraoperative histological examination confirmed the diagnosis of lung adenocarcinoma, as suspected by the pre-operative tests,” the press release stated.
Lung adenocarcinoma is the most common form of non-small cell lung cancer, which accounts for approximately 85% of all lung cancers globally.
Read more:The homilies and addresses of Pope Leo XIV are now coming to English readers
According to the Holy See press release, Pope Leo’s operation, which lasted 90 minutes, went well, there were no complications, and the pontiff is currently recovering.
To find out more about this type of lung cancer — how it gets diagnosed, treatment options, and prognosis — Medical News Today spoke with Robert Van Haren, MD, a University of Cincinnati Cancer Center physician researcher and associate professor of clinical surgery in the University of Cincinnati College of Medicine.
Please note that the information below is general information about lung adenocarcinoma, and it is not intended as specific commentary on Pope Leo XIV’s or any other person’s individual case of lung cancer.
“Lung adenocarcinoma is the most common type of lung cancer, accounting for approximately 40% of cases,” said Van Haren.
“It is often first detected as a small nodule or abnormality on a CT scan of the chest,” he explained. “If the finding is suspicious, additional testing may include a PET scan, a biopsy, or surgery to remove the nodule and examine it under a microscope.”
“One of the most important things to understand is that lung cancer can develop without causing any symptoms,” Van Haren emphasized.
“Many early-stage lung cancers are discovered incidentally on imaging performed for another reason or through lung cancer screening. Detecting these cancers early, before they spread, gives patients the best opportunity for successful treatment,” he added.
“Unfortunately, early-stage lung cancer frequently causes no symptoms, which is one of the reasons it can be difficult to detect,” Van Haren reiterated.
Nevertheless, he noted that “when symptoms do develop, they may include a persistent cough, shortness of breath, chest discomfort, coughing up blood, unexplained weight loss, or fatigue.”
“These symptoms can also occur with many other conditions, but persistent or unexplained symptoms should be evaluated by a physician,” he advised.
Read more:Parkinson’s: Over 8 hours of weekly activity may help slow disease
“The most important message is that people should not wait until they develop symptoms to think about lung cancer screening,” stressed the expert.
“Screening with a low-dose CT scan can identify lung cancer at an earlier, more treatable stage in people who meet the eligibility criteria,” he noted.
“Cigarette smoking remains the most important risk factor for lung cancer. However, lung adenocarcinoma is also the most common type of lung cancer diagnosed in people who have never smoked,” Van Haren told MNT.
“Other risk factors include increasing age, exposure to secondhand smoke, radon, air pollution, certain occupational exposures, and a family history of lung cancer,” he added.
“An important point is that anyone with lungs can develop lung cancer, including people who have never smoked. Although smoking remains the leading risk factor, we are increasingly recognizing lung cancer in individuals without a history of tobacco use.”
— Robert Van Haren, MD
Read more:Mourinho brings pictures of fouls to press conference after Madrid derby – ESPN Video
“For individuals at higher risk, particularly those between ages 50 and 80 with a significant smoking history, annual low-dose CT screening is recommended when they meet established eligibility criteria,” he advised.
“Treatment depends primarily on the stage of the cancer, meaning its size, location, and whether it has spread to lymph nodes or other organs,” the medical expert explained.
“For patients diagnosed with early-stage lung adenocarcinoma, surgery is often the preferred treatment and can be curative,” he said.
Van Haren also added that “advances in minimally invasive surgical techniques, including robotic-assisted surgery, allow us to remove lung cancers through small incisions, frequently resulting in less postoperative pain and faster recovery.”
“Some patients may also benefit from chemotherapy, immunotherapy, or targeted therapies, depending on the stage and molecular characteristics of their cancer,” he noted. “Patients who cannot undergo surgery may be candidates for highly focused radiation treatment.”
“The prognosis varies considerably based on the stage at diagnosis,” said Van Haren.
“Patients with early-stage lung cancer can have an excellent prognosis, and many can be cured with surgery,” he noted.
“In contrast, cancers diagnosed after they have spread are more difficult to treat, although advances in systemic therapies have significantly improved outcomes,” he told us.
For anyone concerned they may be at risk of developing lung cancer, the first port of call should always be speaking directly to a doctor.
