Pope Leo XIV was discharged from Rome's Gemelli Hospital over the weekend after undergoing surgery to remove a cancerous growth from his lung. The 90-minute operation, which took place on 13 October, involved the removal of the lower lobe of the right lung.
Medical tests confirmed the pontiff had lung adenocarcinoma, a disease that was localised within the body. The Vatican stated that a subsequent oncological assessment has confirmed that no further treatment is necessary.
At 71 years old, Leo XIV had previously announced the procedure during his weekly Sunday prayers. The Pope held his first weekly general audience at St Peter's Square on Wednesday.
During his appearance, Leo XIV described the illness as being "at an early stage". He also called for dialogue and peace while urging a ceasefire in the blockaded Russian-occupied Ukrainian city of Oleshky.
On Monday, the pontiff spoke with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky during a phone call.
