Pope Leo XIV undergoes surgery after lung cancer diagnosis

Pope Leo XIV underwent surgery in which doctors removed the lower section, or lobe, of his right lung after diagnosing lung adenocarcinoma, according to ABC News. The outlet said the Vatican announced the diagnosis and described adenocarcinoma as the most common form of lung cancer and a subtype of non-small cell lung cancer.

NBC News reported that the 71-year-old pope was recovering two days after surgery and had shared his first message since the operation. He thanked people for their support and asked them to keep praying, the outlet reported. ABC said the lung nodule was spotted during another exam. It reported that surgery is sometimes enough when lung cancer is detected early, while chemotherapy, radiation or immunotherapy can be used if doctors are concerned about cancer remaining or spreading.