Pope Leo XIV leaves the hospital after his surgery for lung cancer 4 days ago

Pope Leo XIV leaves the hospital after his lung cancer surgery 4 days ago - Author, Redaction - Author's title, BBC News World - Publication date - Reading time: 3 min After undergoing surgery on Tuesday, Pope Leo XIV left the Gemelli Polyclinic in Rome this Saturday and will continue his recovery at his residence in the Vatican. "According to blood tests, the chest X-rays taken this morning, and the evaluation of the patient's clinical condition, it has been determined that the Holy Father is in a condition to be discharged," stated Dr. Luigi Carbone, director of the Health and Hygiene Directorate of the Governorate of the State of the City of the Vatican, and Professor Stefano Margaritora, head of the thoracic surgery team, according to Vatican News. It is planned that on Sunday Leo XIV will receive the Angelus from the window of his study in the Vatican and impart his blessing to those who concentrate in St. Peter's Square. The Pope was diagnosed with lung cancer after undergoing thoracic surgery on Tuesday to remove a nodule that had been detected a few days earlier, the Vatican reported. In the operation, which lasted 90 minutes and was carried out at the Gemelli Polyclinic, he had the lower lobe of the right lung removed. After examining the tissue removed during the operation, he was diagnosed with pulmonary adenocarcinoma, Carbone and Margaritora indicated. The Vatican reported that the operation had been "successful and there were no complications". In a medical report, the doctors explained that the procedure was carried out "to ensure a radical resection" of the tumor. "After the intervention, the Pope woke up normally and, after a short period of observation, returned to his room," the Holy See added in its statement on Tuesday. "Content" The diagnosis occurred after a nodule was detected during what the Vatican described as "routine check-ups". A nodule is a small, localized lesion that is usually benign. The American Thoracic Society points out that less than 5% of lung nodules are cancerous, although the risk increases with age, the size of the nodule, and factors such as smoking. Nodules are denser than normal lung tissue and appear as white spots on a computed tomography scan. This is commonly known as a "shadow" or "spot in the lung". However, the tissue examined during Pope Leo's surgery confirmed that the nodule was a pulmonary adenocarcinoma, a type of cancer that originates in the mucus-producing cells of the lungs. It was Leo XIV himself who announced the news of his operation to the world on Sunday, speaking from the balcony of St. Peter's Square after pronouncing the traditional Angelus blessing. At that time, it was not known that it was a cancerous problem. He said that the nodule in his lung was "contained" and that it had been detected "in a very early stage," but that the doctors had advised him to remove it. Part of this article was originally written in English and we used an artificial intelligence tool to translate it. A BBC journalist reviewed the text before its publication. More information on how we use AI. - Download the new BBC World Service app. Choose BBC News Mundo and receive news alerts, documentaries, and analysis, all in one place. Important: the new application is not available in the United Kingdom or the United States. - You can also follow us on YouTube, Instagram, TikTok, Facebook, X, and our WhatsApp channel. - And don't forget to subscribe here to our newsletter to receive a special selection of our best content every Friday.