Pope Leo announces he will undergo surgery to remove lung nodule

Pope Leo XIV has announced he will undergo surgery to remove a localized lung nodule.

“During some check-ups, doctors discovered a localized nodule on my lung,” the 71-year-old pope told those gathered in St Peter’s Square for the Angelus prayer on Sunday.

“It was detected at a very early stage and is well-defined. The doctors deem it advisable to intervene, so, following their advice, I have decided to undergo surgery to remove it.”

A lung nodule is a small mass of dense tissue on the lung and most are non-cancerous.

Pope Leo said the surgery was planned in the “coming days”, with a Vatican spokesman clarifying that the procedure was scheduled for early next week and that he would need a week in hospital to recover.

Leo is relatively young for a pope, and is generally seen to be in good health. He plays tennis and remains physically active.

Health problems dogged previous popes with Leo’s predecessor Francis spending an extended period in hospital and facing multiple health difficulties in the final months of his life.

Leo XIV is preparing for a major visit to Latin America from 6-17 November where he is scheduled to visit Uruguay, Argentina and Peru. The pope has a demanding daily schedule of meetings and public events, although on Tuesday takes a day off at the papal retreat of Castel Gandolfo.