Pope Leo had a good night in the hospital, the Vatican says

Pope Leo XIV, recovering from surgery for lung cancer, had a good night in the hospital and has eaten breakfast, the Vatican said Thursday. Leo, 71, has been diagnosed with lung adenocarcinoma, the most common form of lung cancer, and doctors removed the lower lobe of his right lung in a surgery on Tuesday afternoon. The Vatican has said the surgery was completed successfully, without complications. It has not yet disclosed the size of the tumor or whether the disease had spread to nearby lymph nodes, key factors in determining prognosis. Further updates are expected on Thursday, but the pope’s pathology report may not be available for several days. Leo‘s public schedule has been canceled until October 20. The pope’s doctors have so far given no indication that he might need further treatment. The Vatican has also not indicated whether Leo’s cancer might have spread. In the meantime, the Vatican released its first post-surgery message from the pope. “As you know, I have been unable to be among you during these days,” read the message, which was addressed to the participants at a meeting to mark the 10th anniversary of “Amoris Laetitia,” a 2016 document on Catholic doctrine released by Pope Francis. “I thank you warmly for your prayers and for the work you have done together. Your sharing of experiences and attentive listening are indeed a gift to the whole Church,” the message read. As Leo continues with recovery, his brother, Louis Prevost, is being treated for blood cancer, a source close to the family told NBC Chicago. Prevost said they’re optimistic the pope will rally. “They caught it early enough, and he’ll be able to heal from the surgery and go on with his papal ministry,” he said in an interview with Newsmax’s Rob Finnerty. Leo was diagnosed with adenocarcinoma, a type of non-small cell lung cancer, after doctors examined the nodule they removed from his right lung. Non-small cell lung cancer accounts for 80% of all cases of the disease, according to the American Lung Association.