Vatican: Pope Leo Requires No Further Lung Cancer Treatment After Surgery

Follow-up tests have confirmed that Pope Leo, 71, will not need additional treatment for lung cancer, according to a Vatican statement issued on Wednesday. The pontiff underwent surgery last week to remove the lower lobe of his right lung — the first major health event of his 17-month papacy. Tissue analysis during the operation confirmed adenocarcinoma, the most commonly diagnosed form of lung cancer. Final post-operative tests on the removed tissue upheld the original diagnosis and showed the disease had not spread, said Luigi Carbone, the pope's personal physician, and Stefano Margaritora, his surgeon. Leo departed the hospital on Saturday, only four days after the procedure and considerably sooner than the week-long stay the Vatican had expected. The localized nature of the cancer, established through the follow-up examinations, is what led doctors to conclude that no further treatment is necessary.