Pope Leo XIV to undergo surgery to remove lung nodule, CNBC reports

The pope's announcement

Pope Leo XIV announced on Sunday, October 11, 2026, that he would undergo surgery in the coming days to remove a nodular lesion in his lung, recently discovered during medical checkups, CNBC reports. He made the announcement during his Sunday noon blessing, thanking the faithful for their closeness and asking for their prayers.

According to CNBC, the 71-year-old pope said in Italian that doctors had found a small nodule during a recent examination. He said it had been detected at a very early stage and that it was "contained." Doctors consider it preferable to act, and on their advice he decided to have the surgery. The procedure is already scheduled for the coming days, he said.

The surgery timeline

Per CNBC, the Vatican later said the operation would take place in the first days of the week, with an expected recovery period of one week. Still citing the U.S. outlet, Leo XIV is expected to be operated on at Rome's Gemelli Hospital, where previous popes, including Francis, have been treated and where pontiffs have a reserved apartment.

What a lung nodule is

Citing the American Cancer Society, CNBC explains that a lung nodule is a small abnormal area of less than 3 centimeters that sometimes appears on a chest or abdominal CT scan. These scans are often performed to investigate a lung injury or infection, and are unrelated to lung cancer screening.

According to CNBC, Leo XIV had no previously known health problems and is considered physically active: he plays tennis every week and swims at Castel Gandolfo, the popes' summer retreat.

A South American trip in focus

The pope has a major trip planned from November 6 to 17 to Uruguay, Argentina and Peru. CNBC says it is unknown whether the surgery and recovery would affect the itinerary, but that Leo XIV said earlier in his remarks that he intended to make the trip.

Reactions and a reminder about Francis

Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni expressed her support, and that of the Italian government, for Leo XIV "as he faces this ordeal," according to CNBC. In a statement, she added that the serenity and calm with which he spoke about it were reassuring.

CNBC also recalls that his predecessor, Francis, died on April 21, 2025, of a stroke, after a long hospitalization triggered by a respiratory crisis that developed into double pneumonia. According to the outlet, Francis suffered from a chronic lung disease and had undergone the removal of part of a lung as a young man.

Analysis: remaining unknowns

Analysis based solely on the details reported by CNBC: several points remain to be clarified. The exact nature of the nodule is not specified, and the outlet notes that the potential impact on the November trip is not known. The pope and the Vatican describe early detection, a localized lesion and a one-week recovery; what comes next will depend on official communications after the surgery.