Pope Leo needs no further treatment after cancer surgery, doctors say

Pope Leo XIV needs no further treatment for lung cancer after confirming the disease had not spread after recent surgery, the Vatican unveiled in an official note from doctors.

Key points

• It appears that the Catholic leader remains committed to his November 6-17 trip to Uruguay, Argentina and Peru.
• Leo was discharged from Rome's Gemelli Polyclinic on Saturday, four days after his operation, and the Vatican remarked he would gradually resume his activities.
• "A subsequent oncological evaluation has confirmed that no further therapy is required, " the pope's lead surgeon, Stefano Margaritora, and his personal physician, Luigi Carbone, remarked Wednesday.
• The pope carried on his official business while in the hospital, including a call with Russian President Vladimir Putin.
• Leo's lead surgeon informed Vatican News that there was "no clinical reason" to prevent the trip.

For context, the 71-year-old pontiff had the lower lobe of his right lung surgically removed on October 13 and was diagnosed with lung adenocarcinoma, the most common form of lung cancer. Leo was discharged from Rome's Gemelli Polyclinic on Saturday, four days after his operation, and the Vatican remarked he would gradually resume his activities. On Wednesday, he returned to St Peter's Square for his weekly audience with pilgrims.

Extra treatment is generally offered in cases where follow-up testing finds signs that the cancer has spread, such as through the lymph nodes, or if other signs indicate that it might be particularly aggressive. As the Catholic leader appears to have had, when the nodule was initially identified during another unrelated exam, surgery often can be enough when tumours are caught particularly early.

In an interview with Vatican News on Saturday, Margaritora, the chief thoracic surgeon at Rome's Gemelli hospital, confirmed that the nodule was discovered by chance during routine abdominal examinations, and that the pope had not been experiencing any symptoms.

Notably, the pope carried on his official business while in the hospital, including a call with Russian President Vladimir Putin. He has appeared solid in two public appearances at the Vatican since his surgery: the traditional Sunday blessing from a window overlooking St Peter's Square and Wednesday's longer audience in the square, greeting the faithful from worldwide.

"Thank you! Thank you for the backing of your prayers, " Leo exclaimed to the audience.

Leo's lead surgeon informed Vatican News that there was "no clinical reason" to prevent the trip. It includes a dozen flights, two helicopter rides and high-altitude stops.

For now, pope Leo needs no further treatment after cancer surgery, doctors say remains the part of the story worth watching, and further updates are likely as more details are confirmed.