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Pope Leo XIV has been diagnosed with lung cancer after scheduled surgery, the Vatican announced Tuesday.
After undergoing thoracic surgery, during which surgeons removed the lower lobe of Pope’s right lung, tissue examination confirmed the diagnosis of lung adenocarcinoma.
The diagnosis was suspected based on tests carried out before the procedure, according to the Holy See Press Office.
POPE LEO DIAGNOSIS OF LUNG CANCER AFTER SURGEONS REMOVED PART OF RIGHT LUNG, VATICAN SAYS
The Pope does not smoke and has no known history of smoking. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports that most lung cancer deaths (80%) are caused by smoking.
Lung adenocarcinoma is the most common type of lung cancer, accounting for approximately 40% of all lung cancers in the United States, according to the Lung Cancer Foundation of America. It is also the most common type among non-smokers.
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In an interview with Fox News Digital, Lary Robinson, MD, an oncologist at Moffitt Cancer Center in Tampa, Florida, expressed surprise about Pope’s condition, as the lung nodule “felt like it was malignant.”
About 80 percent of lung cancers occur in people who smoke or have smoked, said Robinson, who has not treated Pope. However, he noted that lung cancer also occurs in non-smokers, including about 10% of male patients and 25% of female patients.
Newly elected Pope Leo XIV, Cardinal Robert F. Prevost of the United States, appears on the balcony of St. Peter’s Basilica in the Vatican, May 8, 2025. (Dylan Martinez/Reuters)
“But (the pope) had surgery and had a lobectomy, so that’s usually only done with people who have localized disease, and presumably he had localized disease. And I hope it’s stage 1 cancer,” the doctor added.
If Pope’s cancer is stage 1, there is a “high chance” of cure — about 90 percent, depending on the size of the tumor, the oncologist said. The fact that he went straight to surgery suggests that there was probably no evidence that the cancer had spread.
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“We’ll have to wait for pathology to determine … if he had stage 1 cancer and if he needs further treatment after that,” Robinson said.
“Size matters in lung nodules and lung cancer: the bigger the cancer, the worse the outlook, because it is more likely to be advanced and spread.”
Not all cases of lung cancer are caused by smoking, experts say. (iStock)
Risk factors for non-smokers
Not all cases of lung cancer are caused by smoking. Other factors like family history and genetic predisposition may play a role, experts say.
Recent research found that a rare genetic mutation in the EGFR T790M gene increased the risk of lung cancer by 25 times compared to people without the mutation, according to results published in the journal Science.
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Among people who had never smoked, carriers of the mutation were about 62 times more likely to develop lung cancer than nonsmokers who were not carriers.
Family history and environmental exposures can increase the risk of lung cancer. (iStock)
Robinson added that other types of smoking, like pipes and cigars, can increase the risk of lung cancer, as can excessive marijuana use.
Another risk factor is exposure to environmental toxins, such as diesel exhaust and radon, according to the oncologist.
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“Unfortunately, probably more than half of non-smoking people with lung cancer enter stage 4 of the disease,” Robinson said. “And it’s higher than current or former smokers, so they usually start at a worse stage.”
Symptoms and screening
In most cases, early-stage lung cancer has no symptoms, according to Robinson. However, among those who do experience symptoms, the most common are related to the lungs, including persistent coughing, shortness of breath, or coughing up blood.
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Unexplained weight loss can result from any form of cancer, the oncologist noted. Neurological symptoms, such as persistent headaches, may also warrant a visit to the doctor.
The most common symptoms are related to the lungs, including persistent coughing, shortness of breath, or coughing up blood. (iStock)
Lung cancer is rare in young adults, so annual CT screening is generally recommended starting at age 50 for those at high risk, the doctor said.
People considered at high risk include current smokers with at least 20 pack years of experience, as well as former smokers who quit within the last 15 years.
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“Unfortunately, only about 15% of eligible people are screened,” Robinson said.
“I hope that within four or five years, a screening scan will only be confirmatory after a positive blood test done at your doctor’s office.” This approach could facilitate screening and potentially help detect more lung cancers, according to the doctor.
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