Pope Leo XIV announced on Sunday that he will have surgery in the coming days to remove a nodule found on his lung, the first significant public health issue of his pontificate. The 71-year-old, the first pope from the United States, made the announcement himself at the end of his weekly Angelus prayer in St Peter's Square in Rome. Speaking in Italian, he said doctors had found a "circumscribed" nodule during a recent medical check-up, "detected at a very early stage and well-localized". His medical team believes it is right to intervene, he said, and he has agreed to an operation.
The Holy See Press Office said the procedure is scheduled for the first days of the coming week, with about a week of recovery expected. It will take place at Rome's Gemelli Hospital, which has a dedicated papal suite on its upper floor, first prepared after the 1981 assassination attempt on Pope John Paul II. Leo thanked the faithful for their "spiritual closeness" and entrusted himself to their prayers. He also said his planned visit to Uruguay, Argentina and Peru from 6 to 17 November still stands. Vatican officials suggested he may miss a closing Mass on Wednesday for a conference on family ministry.
The announcement drew messages of support. Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni expressed personal and governmental solidarity, saying the calm with which Leo spoke was reassuring. Italian President Sergio Mattarella and Israeli President Isaac Herzog wished him a swift recovery. Brazil's bishops' conference and the Archbishop of Montevideo also called for prayers, the latter saying trip preparations would continue with "greater enthusiasm".
Doctors not involved in the pope's care stressed that a nodule is not necessarily cancer. Lung nodules are small growths of up to 3 centimetres and are very common, often found incidentally on scans. Roughly 95% are benign, according to The Conversation, though a small share are early lung cancer. Dr Stephen Liu of Georgetown's Lombardi Comprehensive Cancer Center said benign and cancerous nodules can look alike on imaging, and that surgery can give a definitive diagnosis and is often safe, with rapid recovery. A needle biopsy can be difficult and inconclusive. Dr Dionysis Papadatos-Pastos of The London Clinic said a well-circumscribed nodule is less likely to be cancer, but should always be investigated. If it were cancer caught this early, Liu said, the prognosis would be excellent and surgery alone might suffice. Leo is not known to be a smoker and is physically active, playing tennis weekly and swimming.
The disclosure stands out against the handling of health news under Pope Francis, who died on 21 April 2025 after a long hospitalisation for respiratory illness. His illnesses were marked by sometimes confusing Vatican communication. By announcing the news himself at one of his most public appearances, Leo appears to be taking control of the message. The Vatican has not said whether the nodule is benign or malignant; that is expected to become clear after the operation.