Skip to contentSwipe for next articleIndependent Bulletin homepageDownload our appAllNewsSportCultureLifestyleWant to bookmark your favourite articles and stories to read or reference later? Start your Independent Membership today.Join todayAlready a member? Log inSummer WoolleyWednesday 14 October 2026 11:33 BSTPope Leo diagnosed with cancer after surgery to remove lower lobe of lungPope Leo, aged 71, has been diagnosed with lung adenocarcinoma, the most common form of lung cancer, following a routine health check.Lung adenocarcinoma represents roughly 40 per cent of all lung cancers and tends to grow more slowly than other types.The Vatican has not yet disclosed the tumour's size or potential lymph node involvement, leaving the pontiff's exact prognosis and follow-up treatment unconfirmed.In general, the prognosis of the disease depends heavily on the stage of the cancer and whether it has spread beyond the lung. The five-year relative survival rate for non-small cell lung cancer is 67 per cent when the disease remains confined to the lung, which falls to 40 per cent if it has spread to nearby tissues.Early-stage disease often causes no symptoms, but as the cancer progresses, symptoms can include a persistent cough, shortness of breath or wheezing, coughing up blood, chest, shoulder or back pain, unexplained weight loss and fatigue.In fullLung adenocarcinoma: Symptoms, risk factors and prognosis after Pope Leo's diagnosisMore bulletinsThank you for registeringPlease refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged inPlease refresh your browser to be logged in