Pope Leo says will undergo surgery for small growth on lung

Pope Leo said on Sunday that doctors had detected a small growth ‌on his lung during a recent health check and he would be undergoing surgery this week to remove it, in the first health scare of the 71-year-old pontiff's tenure. Leo told pilgrims in St. Peter's Square for ‌his weekly Sunday prayer that the growth was "well-contained" and had been spotted early.

"Recently, during some medical examinations, ‌doctors found a localized nodule in my lung," said the pontiff. "It was detected at a very early stage and is well contained." "The doctors believe it is advisable to intervene, so, following their advice, I have decided to undergo surgery to remove it," ⁠he said. "The ​operation is already scheduled ⁠for the next few days."

A nodule on the lung is a small, localised lesion that can be benign. The American Thoracic ⁠Society says fewer than 5% of lung nodules overall prove cancerous, although risk rises with age, size, and other factors. Leo, ​elected pope by the world's cardinals in May 2025, is relatively young for a Church ⁠leader. He enjoys sports, including tennis, and is not known to previously have had health issues.

The late Pope Francis, Leo's predecessor, died ⁠at ​age 88 and was increasingly frail in his later years. The Vatican press office said Leo's recovery from surgery was expected to take about a week. It did not immediately provide further details about ⁠the pope's health.

Leo keeps a busy schedule and is due to make an 11-day tour of Uruguay, ⁠Argentina and Peru from ⁠November 6-17. Before mentioning his health issue in his address on Sunday, the pope referred to the trip, thanking Catholics for their prayers "for the pastoral visit I ‌will undertake."