Rome:Vatican City Pope Leo XIV underwent surgery on Tuesday to remove a lung nodule, which was successfully completed, as confirmed by the Vatican. The operation took place at Rome's Gemelli hospital, and the pontiff has since returned to his room.

According to Anadolu Agency, the surgical procedure confirmed that Pope Leo XIV has been diagnosed with lung cancer. The nodule, detected during routine checks, was described as well-localized and in its early stages.

The surgery was led by Stefano Margaritora, head of the hospital's thoracic surgery unit. An intraoperative histological examination confirmed the diagnosis of lung adenocarcinoma, a common subtype of non-small cell lung cancer, which accounts for approximately 40% of all lung cancer cases.

The pontiff spent about three hours in the operating room, with the surgery itself lasting around 90 minutes. The doctors reported that the procedure was successful and without complications.