Pope Leo XIV does not require any further medical treatment after undergoing a high-stakes surgical procedure to remove lung cancer, according to an official Vatican announcement. The 71-year-old pontiff underwent a 90-minute operation at Rome’s Gemelli Hospital on October 13, where surgeons excised the lower lobe of his right lung.

Lead surgeon Stefano Margaritora and personal physician Luigi Carbone delivered the staggering update following exhaustive oncological assessments of the extracted tissue. Tests confirmed that the Pope suffered from lung adenocarcinoma, the most common form of lung cancer, but verified that the disease was strictly localized and had not spread.

“A subsequent oncological assessment has confirmed that no further treatment is necessary.”

The alarming health scare began quietly when a small nodule was detected entirely by chance during routine abdominal check-ups, before the pontiff experienced any physical symptoms. Demonstrating remarkable resilience, the Pope began respiratory therapy just one day after the operation, walking in his room and resuming eating before being discharged early.

While recovering inside the hospital, the pontiff maintained an active schedule, celebrating Mass and even holding a direct conversation with Russian President Vladimir Putin to urge a ceasefire in Oleshky. Following his discharge, he immediately returned to public duties, leading the traditional Angelus prayer from his Apostolic Palace study window.

Medical teams report no clinical barriers preventing the pontiff from moving forward with his scheduled 11-day international itinerary to Uruguay, Argentina, and Peru, which is slated to begin in November. The dramatic medical episode has transfixed global observers, ending with an unexpectedly swift and complete recovery for the head of the Catholic Church.