Pope Leo XIV Leaves Gemelli Hospital After Lung Cancer Surgery
Pope Leo XIV has left Rome's Gemelli Hospital days after undergoing surgery for lung cancer, which involved the removal of the lower lobe of his right lung.

Sioux Falls, SD, October 17, 2026 —
Pope Leo XIV has left Rome’s Gemelli Hospital, days after undergoing surgery for lung cancer. The procedure involved removing the lower lobe of his right lung, according to the information provided.
The available account does not give the date of the surgery or the date the pope left the hospital. It also does not describe his condition after the procedure, provide details about his recovery, or say whether further treatment is planned. No statement from the pope, hospital or Vatican was included in the information provided.
The surgery and departure from the hospital are the only developments specified. The account does not identify the medical team or explain how long the operation lasted. It also does not say whether the pope will continue recovery at another location or when he may resume public duties.
Those details remain unconfirmed in the available information. The departure from Gemelli Hospital marks a change in the pope’s care setting, but no further information was provided about his health or next steps. The procedure was described as surgery for lung cancer, with removal of the lower lobe of the right lung.
Further details about the timing, medical assessment and recovery were not provided. No additional conclusions about the pope’s prognosis or schedule can be drawn from the information available.
Story summarized from the original created by Willem Marx on www.npr.org, see more information here.
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