Pope's South American trip to go ahead as planned after lung cancer surgery

According to The Vatican has, pope Leo will go on his South American tour as planned, after his surgery for lung cancer.

Key points

• When he was 30 years old, the Catholic Church sent him to Peru as a missionary in 1985.
• After that he will spend six days in Peru, where roughly 76% of the population are Catholic, and will include stops in Lima, Chiclayo, Cuzco and Pucallpa.
• He will then travel to Argentina from November 11-17, visiting a number of places including the capital Buenos Aires.
• The surgery lasted for 90 minutes, and he was discharged from Rome's Gemelli hospital on 17 October.
• The Vatican remarked Friday that Leo would cancel a planned trip to Assisi on October 27th, on the recommendation of his doctors.

He was diagnosed with lung cancer and underwent successful surgery in Rome on 13 October to remove a tumour on the lower part of his right lung.

For context, the 71-year-old is scheduled to travel to Uruguay, Argentina and Peru on 6-17 November, the Vatican remarked, adding that the he was looking forward to it "with great joy and enthusiasm".

Meanwhile, the Pope will follow the same programme as planned, visiting 10 cities on the tour.

"I am looking forward to returning to the continent where I've experienced so many moments of my life, " Pope Leo remarked.

As well as other key cities, the Pope's trip will commence in Uruguay on 8 November, where he will visit the capital Montevideo.

Peru's Cardinal Castillo, the Archbishop of Lima, has remarked the trip would involve young residents, women who support run community kitchens and members of the country's indigenous communities, according to Vatican News.

Notably, the archbishop highlighted the Pope's close ties with the individuals of Chiclayo, where he lived for a number of years. The Pope has Peruvian citizenship.

He joined the Augustinian mission in Chulucanas, in the Peruvian department of Piura, and the after year, joined the mission in the city of Trujillo. For almost three decades, he worked between the US and Peru.

Leo confirmed the news of his lung operation himself to the world on 11 October during his weekly Sunday prayers, telling the crowd in St Peter's Square that doctors had identified a nodule on his lung.

He reassured pilgrims that the expansion was "well-contained" and caught "at an early stage" but that his doctors had advised him to have it removed.

Notably, the surgery lasted for 90 minutes, and he was discharged from Rome's Gemelli hospital on 17 October.

In practice, the Pope's surgeon, Stefano Margaritora, remarked he was in an "absolutely satisfactory clinical condition", and stated there were "no clinical reasons" why the trip should not go ahead. Tests indicated the cancer was "localised".

Since his operation, the pope has been resting and gradually resuming his work. He has been "adjusting his daily schedule in consultation with his doctors to prioritise his recovery while continuing to fulfill the responsibilities of his ministry, " the Vatican remarked.

Leo was "deeply grateful for the prayers and affection he has received from throughout the world, " the Vatican remarked.

In practice, the Vatican remarked Friday that Leo would cancel a planned trip to Assisi on October 27th, on the recommendation of his doctors.

For now, pope' s South American trip to go ahead as planned after lung cancer remains the part of the story worth watching, and further updates are likely as more details are confirmed.