Pope Leo returns to Vatican after lung cancer surgery

Doctors say they are seeing ‘continued improvement’ after the US-born pope had a lump removed from his lung on Tuesday.

Pope Leo XIV leaves the Gemelli University Hospital, four days after a surgery to remove a cancerous tumour from his right lung, in Rome on October 17, 2026 [AFP]

Pope Leo has returned to the Vatican, four days after receiving surgery for lung cancer in Rome.

The pope said he was feeling “much better” when asked about his health as he was driven away from the Gemelli University Hospital against cries of “holiness” from onlookers on Saturday.

list 1 of 3 Pope Leo recovering well after cancer surgery, Vatican says

list 2 of 3 Pope Leo resumes work in hospital while recovering from surgery

list 3 of 3 Pope Leo to make public appearance Sunday, first since cancer surgery

Leo had the lower lobe of his right lung removed on Tuesday. The surgery confirmed he had adenocarcinoma, which is the most common type of lung cancer.

He is set to resume some duties on Sunday, when he greets the faithful with the Catholic Church’s traditional Angelus blessing.

Doctors have said tests confirmed his “continued improvement”.

Since having surgery, the pope has had a phone call with Russian President Vladimir Putin, held meetings with senior aides and celebrated mass in a makeshift hospital chapel.

Leo thanked staff in the Rome hospital for the work they do every day “taking care of the sick in their fragility”, as well as for “what they had done for him”, a Vatican spokesperson said.

Pope Leo’s next major engagement is a trip to Latin America in mid-November, giving him about three weeks to recover for an ambitious journey that includes a dozen flights and two helicopter trips.

Leo is the first pope from the United States, hailing from Chicago. However, he has spent decades living and working across South America and is a naturalised Peruvian citizen.

医生表示，这位出生于美国的教皇周二接受了肺部肿块切除手术后，病情“持续好转”。

2026年10月17日，教宗利奥十四世在罗马杰梅利大学医院接受右肺癌性肿瘤切除手术四天后离开医院。[法新社]

教宗利奥三世在罗马接受肺癌手术四天后，已返回梵蒂冈。

周六，教皇在被问及健康状况时表示，他感觉“好多了”。当时，他正乘车离开杰梅利大学医院，围观者高呼“圣洁”。

教宗利奥三世癌症手术后恢复良好，梵蒂冈方面表示（列表1/3）

教宗利奥三世术后康复期间在医院恢复工作（共3条记录，此为第2条）

教宗利奥三世将于周日公开露面，这是他癌症手术后的首次公开露面（共3条记录，此为第3条）。

周二，利奥接受了右肺下叶切除手术。手术证实他患有腺癌，这是最常见的肺癌类型。

他将于周日恢复部分职责，届时他将按照天主教教会的传统，为信徒们诵念《天使报喜经》祈祷文。

医生表示，检查结果证实他的病情“持续好转”。

自从接受手术以来，教皇已经与俄罗斯总统弗拉基米尔·普京通了电话，会见了高级助手，并在临时医院教堂主持了弥撒。

梵蒂冈发言人表示，利奥感谢罗马医院的工作人员每天“在病人虚弱的时候照顾他们”，也感谢他们“为他所做的一切”。

教宗利奥的下一个重要行程是11月中旬访问拉丁美洲，他将有大约三周的时间来恢复体力，以应对这次雄心勃勃的旅程，其中包括十几次飞行和两次直升机之旅。

利奥是第一位来自美国的教皇，他出生于芝加哥。然而，他几十年来一直在南美洲生活和工作，并且是秘鲁的归化公民。