Pope Leo XIV health update: Making an official announcement, Pope Leo XIV said he will undergo surgery in the coming days to remove a small, localised nodule discovered in his lung during recent medical examinations.
The 71-year-old pontiff revealed the development during his Sunday Angelus address in St Peter’s Square at the Vatican. He said the nodule was detected at a very early stage and was well localised. Following medical advice, he decided to undergo surgery to have it removed.
Pope Leo XIV's lung surgery: What we know so far
"Dear friends, during some recent medical examinations, the doctors found a small, localized nodule in my lung. It was detected at a very early stage and is well-localised. The doctors believe that it is best to intervene, so, following their advice, I have decided to undergo surgery to remove it. The operation is already scheduled to take place in the coming days. I thank you for your spiritual closeness and entrust myself to your prayers," mentioned an official tweet on Pope Leo XIV's official X (Formerly Twitter) page.
As per Vatican News, the Director of the Holy See Press Office, Matteo Bruni, specified that "the operation is scheduled for the first days of this week and the estimated post-operative recovery time will be about one week." The operation will take place at the Agostino Gemelli Polyclinic Hospital in Rome.
Importantly, the Vatican has not confirmed whether the nodule is cancerous or non-cancerous.
What is a lung nodule?
As per the Cleveland Clinic, a pulmonary nodule is a spot on the lung. On chest X-rays or a CT scan, these nodules look different from the surrounding (normal) lung tissue and most lung nodules are benign (not cancerous).
What are the symptoms of lung nodules?
Small lung nodules rarely cause symptoms. As per experts at Cleveland Clinic, if the growth presses against your airway or is cancerous, you might experience:
- Chest pain
- Shortness of breath (dyspnea) or wheezing
- Chronic cough or coughing up blood
- Fatigue
- Hoarseness
- Loss of appetite and unexplained weight loss
- Recurring respiratory infections like bronchitis or pneumonia
They can result from previous lung infections, inflammation, scar tissue or other medical conditions. However, some nodules may indicate lung cancer.
Why do doctors recommend the removal of the lung nodule?
Surgery may be recommended when doctors think removing a lung nodule is the safest or most appropriate course of action. Sometimes the lung nodule removal is required to make breathing easier.
