Pope Leo XIV’s lung recovered well after surgery to remove a cancerous nodule, and he returned to work at the hospital on Thursday, his doctors and the Vatican reported.
Leo’s post-operative tests remained within normal levels and his physiotherapy session on Thursday included full mobility exercises, with Pope going about his daily activities independently, said information from Leo’s personal physician, Dr. Luigi Carbone, and the head of thoracic surgery at Gemelli Hospital, Dr. Stefano Margaritora.
“Chest X-ray revealed good recovery of the operated lung,” they reported. “Overall, his post-operative recovery is going as expected.”
Separately, the Vatican said Leo resumed working from the hospital, consulting documents, and celebrated Mass for the second day with other priests in a special chapel set up for him near his room on the 10th floor of the hospital.
Leo, 71, had the lower right lobe of his right lung removed on Tuesday after doctors identified a suspected cancerous nodule. The surgery confirmed he had adenocarcinoma, the most common type of lung cancer.
Doctors are still waiting for the results of tests aimed at understanding the precise molecular makeup of the cancer, whether it has spread beyond the lobe and whether further treatment is needed.
Asked if any changes were expected in Leo’s planned trip to South America from Nov. 6-17, spokesman Matteo Bruni pointed to Leo’s comments on Sunday when he announced the discovery of the nodule and impending surgery.
“Thank you for your prayers for the pastoral visit I will make to Peru,” Leo said in Spanish on Sunday, in a greeting to a Peruvian group. The trip is also expected to include stops in Uruguay and Argentina.
Leo is expected to remain hospitalized until at least October 20.
As Léo continues to recover, his brother, Louis Prévost, is being treated for blood cancer, a source close to the family told NBC Chicago.
Prevost said he was optimistic that the pope would come on board.
“They caught it early enough and he will be able to recover from the surgery and continue his papal ministry,” he said in an interview with Newsmax’s Rob Finnerty.
Leo was diagnosed with adenocarcinoma, a type of non-small cell lung cancer, after doctors examined the nodule they removed from his right lung.
Non-small cell lung cancer accounts for 80% of all cases of the disease, according to the American Lung Association.
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