Pope Leo XIV announced that he will undergo surgery to remove a “small, localized nodule” in his lung, sparking the first public health concerns of the 71-year-old pope’s tenure in leading the Catholic Church.
The 71-year-old announced this to pilgrims gathered in St. Peter’s Square following his customary prayer on Sunday, Octrober 11. He mentioned that doctors had found the lung nodule “at a very early stage and is well-localized.”
A lung nodule is a small abnormal area of less than an inch that appears in the chest or abdomen during a CT scan, according to the American Cancer Society. It states that most lung nodules are not cancer and are “more often the result of old infections, scar tissue, or other causes.”
The pope’s operation will take place early this coming week at Rome’s Gemelli hospital, where the popes typically receive medical care, and he is expected to remain in recovery for a week, the Vatican later told reporters.