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VATICAN CITY (RNS) — Pope Leo XIV will be hospitalized late Tuesday morning (Oct. 13) at the Gemelli Hospital in Rome to undergo surgery for a “localized nodule” in his lung, the Holy See press office announced on Monday.
The 71-year-old pope said he was following the advice of his doctors to operate on the nodule, which “was detected at a very early stage and is well localized,” in his remarks in Italian after his Angelus address in St. Peter’s Square on Sunday.
What is a lung nodule and how is it treated?
A lung nodule is a small spot that is usually detected on a chest scan. It can result from an infection, inflammation or scarring, or it may be a benign or cancerous growth. The American Thoracic Society says that fewer than 5% of lung nodules are cancerous, though an individual’s risk depends on factors including age, smoking history and the nodule’s size and appearance.
According to the Cleveland Clinic, lung nodules show up on as many as 1 in 3 chest CT scans. They don’t always require treatment; however, the Clinic said if a nodule grows or causes symptoms, surgery may be necessary.
“I think in the pope’s case, this was a nodule that was highly suspicious for cancer,” said Dr. Ankit Bharat, chief of thoracic surgery at Northwestern University’s Feinberg School of Medicine in Chicago. He specified that he has not personally examined the pope or reviewed his scans.
He said imaging characteristics can help doctors determine whether the nodule might be cancerous. Patients may not have any symptoms and nodules may be discovered incidentally when patients undergo scans for other reasons.
“There is this general kind of assumption that you cannot get lung cancer unless you smoke, but that’s absolutely not true,” Bharat said.
Leo maintains an active lifestyle, playing tennis, swimming and horseback riding at the summer estate in Castel Gandolfo near Rome. Before Sunday’s announcement, he had no publicly known health problems.
Vatican spokesman Matteo Bruni said the nodule was discovered during routine medical checks not prompted by specific symptoms.
The date and time of the surgery, or what type of procedure the pope will undergo, remain undisclosed.
Bharat described an approach where surgeons remove the nodule and have a pathologist examine it while the patient remains under anesthesia. If it proves to be lung cancer, the surgeon removes the affected section of the lung and nearby lymph nodes to assess whether the disease has spread, he said. At his center, Bharat said, the procedure usually takes between 90 minutes and two hours.
“I pray this is not lung cancer, but even if it is, it seems to be a very treatable, curable problem,” Bharat said.
Surgery can be performed via open incision or minimally invasive techniques, including robotic surgery, Bharat said. Recovery depends on how much lung tissue is removed, and complications could include infection, irregular heartbeat and blood clots. Long-term effects can include reduced lung capacity and persistent pain around incisions, he added.
What events will the pope miss?
The Prefecture of the Papal Household announced on Monday that all of the pope’s audiences will be canceled from Tuesday until Oct. 20, one week after his hospitalization. However, the pope could continue to work or take meetings as he recovers at the hospital.
The pope will likely remain at the hospital for one week after the operation, according to the Vatican.
Bharat said a week hospital stay is longer than he would ordinarily expect following an early-stage lung resection, noting that patients undergoing robotic surgery at his center can go home the same day. He suggested that extra precautions for the pope and the extent of the surgery could account for a longer stay.
Leo will not attend events scheduled for Tuesday and Wednesday he had previously planned to attend. He had been scheduled to present the inaugural Sustainability Medal to Cardinal Michael Czerny at Borgo Laudato Si’ in Castel Gandolfo on Tuesday.
He also withdrew from the afternoon session of a Vatican summit marking the 10th anniversary of “Amoris Laetitia,” Pope Francis’ 2016 teaching document on marriage and family. The Dean of the College of Cardinals, Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle, will preside in the pope’s place at the gathering’s closing Mass on Oct. 14.
However, the publication of the report from the summit is on hold until the pope can read it. In a statement on Monday, Cardinals Kevin Joseph Farrell and Mario Grech, who are overseeing the Vatican summit, said the report will be handed to the pope during his convalescence.
Who is in charge while Leo recovers?
Leo will still have papal authority during his hospitalization as the Vatican continues business as usual.
While the dean of the College of Cardinals oversees proceedings following the death of a pope, there aren’t clear rules about who is in charge of the Vatican and the Catholic Church if the pope is ill or incapacitated.
Leo approved the election of Tagle as dean on Oct. 8, shortly before he announced his surgery. The Filipino cardinal succeeded Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re, who played an important role following the death of Pope Francis until Leo’s election.
Some popes, including Paul VI and Pope Francis, wrote letters outlining what should happen if they are incapacitated or ill, but these documents are typically private and not shared with the public. Whether Leo, a canon lawyer, has already drafted a similar document is not publicly known.
Will the pope still go to South America next month?
Leo is also scheduled to travel to Uruguay, Argentina and Peru from Nov. 6-17, roughly three weeks after his hospitalization. The pope addressed his upcoming trip to Peru during his Angelus on Sunday, with no hint at plans to postpone it.
Bharat said he normally wouldn’t advise traveling for at least a month after lung surgery as residual air after surgery can expand as cabin pressure changes, which could cause a lung collapse. But, he added that much depends on the extent of the surgery. For patients who must travel earlier, additional scans can confirm the healing of the lung and arrangements can be made for emergency medical care abroad and on the plane.
What has been the response to his surgery announcement?
The vicar of Rome, Cardinal Baldassare Reina, issued a message asking faithful in the diocese to pray for the pope and entrusting his care to Mary. In the United States, Washington Cardinal Robert McElroy asked every priest in his diocese to say a Mass for Leo and his recovery.
Leo’s religious order, the Augustinians, also announced intentions to pray for the pontiff, as have many bishops in Latin America and the U.S.
Leo’s favorite baseball team, the Chicago White Sox, also sent wishes for the pope’s recovery in an email to Religion News Service. “We join those around the world in wishing His Holiness a full and speedy recovery,” the organization said.
“The entire White Sox organization sends our very best to Pope Leo XIV and hope for His continued well-being.”
Bon Smietana contributed to this report.