Pope Leo XIV will receive immunotherapy for at least three years to reduce the risk of lung cancer recurrence following his surgery on October 13 at the Gemelli Polyclinic in Rome. This was reported on Friday, October 23, by journalist Mirticeli Medeiros, GloboNews correspondent at the Vatican, who attributed the information to sources within the hospital itself.
According to GloboNews, the planned drug is pembrolizumab, an immunotherapy medication that would be administered preventively. The same sources indicated that the Pontiff will not require chemotherapy or radiotherapy, and that the treatment is partly due to his family history of cancer. Medeiros added that the tumor measured 2.5 centimeters and that the analysis detected PD-L1 positivity, a marker that may indicate a good response to this type of therapy.
The procedure, performed by the thoracic surgery team led by Professor Stefano Margaritora, involved the removal of the lower lobe of the right lung and confirmed an adenocarcinoma. InfoVaticana reported the Pope’s hospital discharge, four days after the operation, and his first Angelus after the surgery.
GloboNews’ report comes two days after the statement issued by the Holy See Press Office on the evening of Wednesday, October 21, signed by doctors Carbone and Margaritora. That communiqué stated that the definitive histology confirmed adenocarcinoma and that the disease was localized, and indicated that a subsequent oncological evaluation concluded that no additional therapy was necessary. The Press Office has not commented on the Brazilian network’s reports.
Additionally, the Holy See reported that a follow-up X-ray showed a “very good” recovery and that doctors have advised the Pope against traveling by helicopter to Assisi on October 27, to facilitate his recovery. Leo XIV will therefore not participate in the prayer meeting for peace organized by the Community of Sant’Egidio, to which he will send a message.
The Pontiff is 71 years old and has been in his pontificate for 17 months. His trip to Uruguay, Argentina, and Peru, scheduled for November 6–17, remains pending. Professor Margaritora told Vatican News that he saw “no clinical reasons” to cancel it, and the nuncio to Peru, Paolo Rocco Gualtieri, told EWTN News on October 21 that the visit was “confirmed,” although the final decision rests with the Holy See.