Pope Leo XIV leads public prayer after lung cancer surgery

Pope Leo XIV first told the faithful gathered in St. Peter's Square on October 11 that doctors had found a nodule on his lung and would remove it, according to World News - Breaking News, Top Stories.

The discovery came during an examination for another reason, his doctor later said, according to CBS Top Stories. The supplied coverage does not specify what that examination was for.

On October 13, the Pope underwent surgery at Rome's Gemelli hospital to remove the lung nodule, according to TGcom24. Doctors removed the lower lobe of his right lung, and the operation confirmed adenocarcinoma, the most common type of lung cancer, The Hindu reported.

By October 17, doctors considered him well enough to leave hospital, according to ABCNews.com. His discharge came four days after the operation.

The Pope left on foot, greeted people outside and got into a car before returning to the Vatican, ANSA reported. NDTV described the 71-year-old smiling, shaking hands and waving as he left.

Also on October 17, his surgeon said a full recovery was expected in about ten days and there was no reason to postpone his planned Latin America trip, according to Adnkronos. That was a recovery forecast, not confirmation that the cancer required no further care.

On October 18, Pope Leo appeared in public to lead a prayer in Vatican City, Sky News reported. The appearance came a day after his discharge and return to the Vatican.

His departure from hospital marks progress in his recovery from surgery. But his medical team has not disclosed the tumour's size or whether the disease has spread to nearby lymph nodes, factors important to determining prognosis, according to the Sydney Morning Herald.

Further medical updates could clarify those unanswered questions about the cancer. The available coverage does not establish a prognosis or say whether additional treatment will be needed.

The Pope is currently scheduled to travel to Latin America in November, according to NPR. Whether that schedule remains unchanged will be another concrete measure of his recovery.