Pope Leo XIV Pictured Post-Surgery After Cancer Diagnosis — SkimNews
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- Pope Leo XIV was diagnosed with lung adenocarcinoma following successful lung surgery at Rome's Gemelli Hospital on Tuesday afternoon, with the Vatican confirming the procedure proceeded without complications.
- The 71-year-old pontiff had the entire lower lobe of his right lung removed "to ensure the procedure was radical," according to the Vatican.
- Vatican doctors said a follow-up chest X-ray showed "good recovery of the operated lung," with "steady improvement in his general condition" reported on Friday.
- The Chicago-born Pope was pictured for the first time since surgery celebrating Mass from a makeshift altar on the hospital's tenth floor, wearing a green robe and thanking medical and nursing staff for their service.
- Pope Leo first disclosed the procedure during his Sunday prayers in St. Peter's Square, telling the crowd doctors had found a "well-contained" nodule on his lung "at an early stage."
- The Vatican stressed the Pope showed no symptoms of infection or illness prior to the procedure, and awoke normally after surgery before spending a "peaceful night" at the hospital.
Why it matters: The Vatican's confirmation that Pope Leo's lung adenocarcinoma required removal of his entire right lower lobe raises immediate questions about the pontiff's capacity during recovery, even as doctors report steady improvement. The first post-surgery images convey continuity, but do not resolve concerns about his near-term schedule raised by Catholics.
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