By Joshua McElwee
VATICAN CITY, Oct 15 (Reuters) – Pope Leo had a good night in hospital and has eaten breakfast, the Vatican said on Thursday, as the 71-year-old recovers from surgery for lung cancer.
Leo has been diagnosed with lung adenocarcinoma, the most common form of lung cancer, and doctors removed the lower lobe of his right lung in a surgery on Tuesday afternoon.
The Vatican has said the surgery was completed successfully, without complications. It has not yet disclosed the size of the tumour or whether the disease had spread to nearby lymph nodes, key factors in determining prognosis.
Blood tests and a chest X-ray carried out on Wednesday showed normal post-operative results, the Vatican said.
US President Donald Trump, who has clashed with Leo on a number of issues, added his voice on Wednesday to the global chorus of goodwill for the ailing pope.
“I want to see Pope Leo get well,” Trump told reporters. “I just want to wish him well, get better fast.”
Vice President JD Vance, a Catholic convert, also added his prayers.
“May God grant him strength as he works to get better. I hope he knows that millions of American Christians are thinking about him,” Vance wrote on X.
Further updates are expected on Leo’s condition on Thursday, but his pathology report may not be available for several days.
Leo’s public engagements have been cancelled until October 20.
The cancer diagnosis for a pope known to be relatively young and energetic and who was elected only in May 2025 caused shock and raised questions about the future shape of his papacy as he deals with the illness.
Leo normally has a packed schedule. He is due to make a tour of Uruguay, Argentina and Peru from November 6 to 17 and the Vatican press office said on Wednesday that “nothing has changed” regarding the planned trip.
However, Peruvian President Keiko Fujimori said that the dates could change because of the amount of time that Leo’s recovery would take.
(Reporting by Joshua McElwee; Writing by Keith Weir; Editing by Crispian Balmer and Alison Williams)
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