Pope Leo recovering ‘as expected’ after surgery to remove cancerous mass from lung: Vatican

Pope Leo was recovering “as expected” Wednesday — walking around his hospital room and even celebrating Mass — after undergoing lung cancer surgery, according to the Vatican.

The pope underwent scheduled blood tests and a chest X-ray after surgeons on Tuesday successfully removed the lower lobe of the 71-year-old Holy Father’s right lung, which contained cancerous cells.

The results of Wednesday’s tests “confirm that his postoperative recovery is progressing normally: the values are within the expected range for the type of operation performed,” Dr. Luigi Carbone and Prof. Stefano Margaritora of Gemelli Hospital, said in a statement.

“The Holy Father has undergone respiratory physiotherapy and has begun walking around his room. He has resumed eating normally and had breakfast and lunch,” the doctors said.

“His recovery is proceeding as expected.”

The pontiff also reportedly concelebrated Mass on Wednesday afternoon at Gemelli Hospital.

Doctors had suspected the pope developed adenocarcinoma during preoperative tests.

Adenocarcinoma is the most common form of lung cancer. While its severity hinges on how early it is detected, it’s very treatable if caught early, according to the Associated Press.

Smoking, exposure to secondhand smoke, air pollution and toxins like asbestos or heavy metals — alongside family history — can all raise the risk of developing adenocarcinoma.

Leo is expected to travel to Uruguay, Argentina and Peru — where he hold dual citizenship — from Nov. 6-17 despite his health issues. 

The Vatican has not announced any schedule changes for the trip. 

While medical professionals advise against flying for three weeks post-surgery, the timeline leaves Leo cleared to travel to South America.

Leo was in the operating room for roughly three hours, with the surgery itself lasting about 90 minutes, officials said.

The pope first revealed the health scare to the public during a Sunday noon prayer service at St. Peter’s Square, disclosing that doctors had discovered a “small, localized nodule” in his lung.

“The doctors believe it’s best to take action, so, following their advice, I’ve decided to have surgery to remove it,” the pontiff said in Italian at the time. 

This diagnosis is the first significant health issue the pope has faced since becoming the leader of the Catholic Church.