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Pope Leo to enter hospital on Tuesday for surgery on lung nodule
On Tuesday, Pope Leo XIV will enter Rome's Gemelli hospital for surgery to remove a lung nodule discovered during recent medical checks, marking his first hospitalization since becoming head of the Catholic Church 17 months ago.
Unlike his predecessor Pope Francis, who typically kept health matters private, Leo announced the procedure himself on Sunday during Angelus prayers, describing the nodule as "at a very early stage" and "well-contained."
Thoracic surgery expert Marco Scarci told AFP the operation is not "a particularly risky operation," while the American Thoracic Society reports fewer than 5% of such lung nodules prove cancerous.
Vatican officials confirmed Leo has cancelled all public appointments until October 20; Church bureaucracy will continue operations during his recovery, though decisions requiring papal approval are held pending.
Despite the surgery, Leo intends to proceed with his 11-day tour of Uruguay, Argentina, and Peru beginning November 6, though reaching pre-surgery fitness may require up to three months.
On Tuesday, Pope Leo XIV was admitted to the Gemelli Hospital in Rome, where he had to undergo surgery in the afternoon to remove a pulmonary nodule, an operation generally regarded as unrisking by specialists. (Health and well-being).