Pope Leo XIV Leaves Gemelli Hospital Four Days After Lung Cancer Surgery

Pope Leo XIV left Rome’s Gemelli Polyclinic Hospital on Saturday afternoon, October 17, four days after surgeons removed a cancerous nodule and the lower lobe of his right lung. He walked out of the main entrance around 3:30 p.m. local time, smiling and waving to patients and well-wishers gathered outside. Doctors Luigi Carbone and Stefano Margaritora accompanied him to the car.

The Vatican announced the discharge at 11:30 a.m. after blood tests and a chest X-ray confirmed the pontiff was fit to leave. The statement, signed by the two physicians, said his clinical condition supported the move. Leo XIV, 71, had entered the hospital on Tuesday, October 13, and underwent the operation the same day. He announced the planned surgery the previous Sunday after a nodule was identified.

Margaritora told Vatican News there are “no clinical reasons” the pope should cancel his scheduled trip to South America from November 6 to 17. The surgeon noted that full physical recovery after this type of lobectomy typically takes a couple of weeks. With nearly a week already elapsed, he estimated the pope could be fully recovered in another ten days. Air travel three weeks from now presents no clinical obstacle, he said.

Before boarding the vehicle for the Vatican, Leo stopped to speak briefly with a 13-year-old Ukrainian girl who had recovered from cancer. Back at the Apostolic Palace he is expected to appear at the window of the papal study on Sunday to recite the midday Angelus and greet the crowd in St. Peter’s Square. The Vatican has not indicated any change to that plan.

The surgery marks the first major health episode of Leo XIV’s pontificate, which began in May 2025 after the death of Pope Francis. The Chicago-born Augustinian has maintained a full public schedule since his election. The lower-lobe resection removes the affected tissue while preserving the rest of the right lung. Postoperative reports described steady improvement and minimal need for assistance during recovery.

Gemelli has treated several recent popes. John Paul II underwent multiple procedures there; Francis was treated for bronchitis and other issues. The hospital’s thoracic surgery unit is headed by Margaritora. Carbone serves as the pope’s personal physician.

Catholic communities worldwide have followed the daily medical updates. The discharge removes the immediate uncertainty that followed the cancer diagnosis and operation. The pope’s next major public act will be Sunday’s Angelus, the first since the surgery. Whether the South America trip proceeds on schedule will become clearer after the next medical assessment in roughly ten days.