Vatican says pope does not need additional treatment after lung tumor removal

The Vatican announced on Thursday that Pope Laon XIV will not require additional treatment after undergoing surgery last week to remove a cancerous tumor from his lung.

A Vatican statement said medical test results showed the tumor was localized, and an additional tumor test confirmed that no further treatment is needed at this stage.

The statement noted that the pope underwent surgery on October 13 at Rome’s Gemelli Hospital, which involved the removal of part of his right lung.

The pope had announced before a crowd gathered in St. Peter’s Square on October 11 that he would undergo an operation to remove a tumor discovered at an early stage, saying doctors judged surgery to be the most appropriate option.

The 71-year-old pope, who holds American citizenship and was elected last year, left the hospital on October 17 and said he intends to resume his duties gradually.

He expressed his wish to go ahead with his Latin America tour scheduled from November 6 to 17, which includes Uruguay, Argentina and Peru, the country where he spent about 20 years.

Surgeon Stefano Margaritora said in an interview published last Saturday, according to media reports, that there are no clinical reasons to prevent the pope from making the trip, explaining that the tumor was discovered incidentally during a routine abdominal scan that showed a small spot at the base of the right lung.