Pope Leo had a cancerous growth removed from his right lung in a 90-minute operation on Tuesday and "woke up normally" after the procedure, the Vatican said.

A Vatican source said further tests were being carried out to determine if the cancer had spread.

"To ensure the procedure was radical, the lower lobe of the right lung was removed," the Vatican said in a statement.

The operation "confirmed the diagnosis of a pulmonary adenocarcinoma, as suspected from the pre-operative tests", it said.

The 71-year-old pope was in the operating room at Rome's Gemelli hospital for a total of three hours and the operation lasted half that time.

"The surgery was successful and there were no complications," the Vatican said, with a source adding that he had requested dinner after the procedure.

Leo had entered the hospital smiling and waving earlier on Tuesday hours before the surgery.

The Vatican has said it expects the recovery to take a week.

His audiences have been cancelled until October 20 and the operation raises questions about whether the pope will go on a lengthy visit to Latin America next month.

The surgery marks the 71-year-old Leo's first hospitalisation since he became head of the Catholic Church on May 8, 2025.

In a surprise announcement following Angelus prayers on Sunday, Leo told crowds in St Peter's Square that doctors had discovered a nodule "at a very early stage" during medical checks.

"The doctors believe it would be right to intervene," he said.

The Vatican has historically been very secretive about the health of popes, but began to be more transparent during the illness of Leo's predecessor Francis, an Argentine who freely discussed his ailments. (AFP)



Edited by Cecil Wong