Susanna Riva On October 13, the Pontiff, known as Pope Leo XIV , was transported to the Gemelli Hospital in Rome for scheduled surgery on his chest. The operation, announced during the Angelus on October 11, aimed to remove a nodule considered localized and potentially malignant. Vatican authorities released a medical bulletin describing the procedure as radical, indicating the intention to completely eliminate the suspicious lesion.
Video-assisted surgery at the Gemelli Polyclinic
In the operating room, the patient remained under anesthesia for approximately three hours, but the actual surgical procedure lasted just over ninety minutes. The team, led by Professor Stefano Margaritora, performed a video-assisted lobectomy of the lower lobe of the right lung, a minimally invasive technique that uses a high-definition camera to ensure precision and reduce recovery time.
The care was supported by Professor Elisa Meacci, Dr. Maria Teresa Congedo , and Dr. Leonardo Petracca Caravella . The anesthesiology team, led by Professor Massimo Antonelli, constantly monitored the Pope's vital signs.
Details on surgical experience
During the operation, a tissue sample was taken for extemporaneous histological diagnosis.
The results confirmed the presence of lung adenocarcinoma , in line with expectations based on imaging tests performed in the previous weeks. The patient was awakened from anesthesia as expected and, after a brief observation in the recovery room, returned to his room on the tenth floor of the Vatican. No intraoperative complications were reported, and the tumor tissue was completely removed, according to official statements.
Adenocarcinoma is the most common subtype of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) and can develop even in nonsmokers. Histological confirmation, however, is not sufficient to determine the definitive stage of the disease. To complete the staging, it will be necessary to analyze the tumor's size, possible lymph node involvement, and the distance of the surgical margins. Only with this data will doctors be able to evaluate the appropriateness of adjuvant therapies, such as chemotherapy , immunotherapy , or targeted drugs.
Emerging treatments for tumors with specific mutations
In recent years, thoracic oncology has introduced very promising treatment options. For tumors harboring EGFR gene mutations , osimertinib demonstrated an 8% improvement in five-year overall survival in the ADAURA study. Similarly, in ALK-positive cases , alectinib increased the two-year disease-free survival rate to 93,8% in the ALINA study. However, these treatments are reserved for patients with specific molecular alterations, identifiable only through biomarker analysis.
Prospects for the future of therapy
The next step for the Pope will be to evaluate the results of the definitive pathological analysis, which will also include molecular tests (EGFR, ALK, PD-L1). Depending on the pathological stage and genetic profiles, possible adjuvant therapy may be recommended to reduce the risk of recurrence. In the meantime, Vatican authorities have suspended official engagements until October 20, granting the Pontiff the necessary period of observation and rest.