Pope Leo XIV will leave hospital on Saturday (October 17) after surgery four days ago for lung cancer on the basis of optimistic medical assessments, the Vatican has said.
Doctors deemed the 71-year-old pontiff well enough to be discharged and he will return to the Vatican. The decision followed blood tests, a chest X-ray and a clinical assessment Saturday morning, the Vatican said and Associated Press and Reuters reported.
Pope Leo was admitted to Rome’s Agostino Gemelli Hospital on Tuesday, October 13, where physicians discovered a suspicious lump and removed the bottom lobe of his right lung. It was during the operation that doctors discovered he had adenocarcinoma, the most common form of lung cancer.
Vatican officials have said Francis was steadily improving, and doctors said he was able to resume his routine daily activities on his own. The Vatican had earlier said Francis could be in hospital for about a week but his recovery has been speedier than expected.
The Pope also showed symptoms of reverting to his regimen before his discharge. He celebrated Mass in a hospital chapel Friday, talked with aides and proceeded to carry out some official duties. The Vatican Media also released photographs of him at the altar dressed in green liturgical garb, the first public images of him after the operation.
The Pope is due to say the traditional Angelus prayer and blessing from his papal apartment window overlooking St Peter’s Square in Rome on Sunday after returning to the Vatican. The event will be his first public appearance after the procedure.
He is making good progress, but doubts remain about the care of his sickness in the longer term. Doctors are waiting for more test results to determine more about the exact nature of the cancer, including if it has spread beyond the part of the lung that was removed and whether more therapy will be needed.
A crucial impending obligation is the Pope’s planned journey to Uruguay, Argentina and Peru from November 6 to 17, while his medical recovery will be a key factor as preparations proceed.
Pope Leo, elected in May 2025, has continued to show his commitment to stay involved in his pastoral and diplomatic duties despite the health problem.
The Vatican has not said that his exit from the hospital indicates he has completed treatment and rehabilitation for cancer. “Further medical evaluations will help determine the next steps in his care.”
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