Pope Leo XIV has been diagnosed with lung cancer and underwent successful surgery to remove a part of his right lung, the Vatican informed in a statement. It further informed that Pope woke up normally following the operation and returned to his room on the tenth floor after a brief period of observation. As per the Vatican, all his public events have been cancelled till October 20; however, Pope is likely to make a tour of Uruguay, Argentina and Peru in the first week of November.
What Vatican Said?
In its statement, the Vatican informed that the lower lobe of the right lung was removed, adding that the examination confirmed the diagnosis of "lung adenocarcinoma". "The Holy Father underwent thoracic surgery as scheduled. To ensure a radical procedure, the lower lobe of the right lung was removed using a video-assisted technique. The intraoperative histological examination confirmed the diagnosis of lung adenocarcinoma, as suspected by the pre-operative tests," the statement read.
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"The Holy Father was in the operating theatre for approximately three hours; the operation itself lasted about ninety minutes. The operation was successful and there were no complications. Following the operation, the Pope woke up normally and, after a brief period of observation, returned to his room on the tenth floor," it added.
What Is Lung Adenocarcinoma?
- Most common types of cancer which can impact many areas of one's body, including breast, rectum, lungs, pancreas, prostate, and stomach.
- Chronic cough is one of the first symptoms of lung adenocarcinoma, Cleveland Clinic reports.
- The affected individuals usually cough up saliva and mucus along with blood.
- They also experience shortness of breath, chest pain, wheezing, and hoarseness.
As per the news agency Reuters, Pope Leo is not known to be a smoker or have had any recent illness.