Pope Leo to have surgery after lump found on lung

Pope Leo XIV has announced that he will undergo surgery to remove a lung nodule that was found during a recent medical check-up. The 71-year-old pontiff said that the nodule was detected at an early stage and is well-localised.

The surgery is scheduled to take place in the coming days, with the Vatican stating that the operation will occur in the first days of next week. Pope Leo is expected to take about a week to recover.

A lung nodule is a small, abnormal area measuring less than 3cm (1in) that sometimes appears on a CT scan of the chest or abdomen. According to the American Cancer Society, fewer than 5% of lung nodules turn out to be cancerous.

Pope Leo has no previously known health problems and is considered physically active, with weekly tennis games and swimming at the papal summer retreat in Castel Gandolfo. The pope has an extensive trip planned to Uruguay, Argentina, and Peru on 6-17 November, but it is unclear whether the planned surgery and recovery will affect the itinerary.

The Vatican has set up a special Papal suite at Gemelli Hospital in Rome, where the surgery will take place. The hospital has a special apartment for pontiffs, and Pope Leo is expected to undergo surgery there.