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Pope Leo XIV Confirms South America Trip Post-Surgery
· Confirmed
In Short: Pope Leo XIV confirmed his November trip to South America despite recent lung cancer surgery, with doctors saying no further treatment is needed.
Pope Leo XIV, the 71-year-old leader of the Catholic Church, confirmed his November 6-17 trip to Uruguay, Argentina, and Peru, despite undergoing surgery for lung cancer, according to reports from Al Jazeera (Qatar) and The Indian Express.
Doctors from the Vatican announced that the pontiff does not require any further treatment for the cancer, as it had not spread beyond the removed lower lobe of his right lung, as reported by Al Jazeera (Qatar) and Warpbeat.
The pope’s lead surgeon, Stefano Margaritora, and his personal physician, Luigi Carbone, stated in a joint statement that there are no clinical reasons to prevent the trip, which includes a dozen flights, two helicopter rides, and high-altitude stops, according to Al Jazeera (Qatar) and NBC News.
Pope Leo XIV has appeared strong in public appearances since his surgery, including the traditional Sunday blessing from St. Peter’s Square and a longer audience on Wednesday, as reported by Al Jazeera (Qatar) and The Indian Express.
The Vatican confirmed that the trip will proceed according to the previously published schedule, with the pope expressing his happiness to return to South America, where he has lived many moments of his life, as reported by America Magazine and Buenos Aires Times (Argentina).
The pope’s recovery has continued to progress favorably, with doctors noting that he has been walking unaided and maintaining a steady appetite, as reported by Al Jazeera (Qatar) and Ewtnnews.
Al Jazeera (Qatar) and The Catholic Weekly (Australia) reported that the nodule was found by chance during routine abdominal examinations, and the pope had not been experiencing any symptoms prior to the surgery.
All outlets agreed that Pope Leo XIV’s trip to South America will proceed as planned, with no changes to the schedule, despite his recent health challenges.
Background
Pope Leo XIV will not attend a peace gathering in Assisi next week after doctors advised against the helicopter journey as he recovers from lung cancer surgery.
Dr. Stefano Margaritora, the surgeon who operated on Pope Leo XIV, told Vatican News that there are no clinical reasons to prevent the Pope from traveling to South America as scheduled from November 6 to 17.
South America is a continent entirely in the Western Hemisphere and mostly in the Southern Hemisphere, with a considerably smaller portion in the Northern Hemisphere. It can also be described as the southern subregion of the Americas.
What's confirmed
- Pope Leo XIV needs no further treatment for lung cancer after confirming the disease had not spread following recent surgery, the Vatican announced in a statement from doctors.
- The 71-year-old leader of the Catholic church has had the lower lobe of his right lung removed in surgery.
- “A subsequent oncological evaluation has confirmed that no further therapy is required,” the pope’s lead surgeon, Stefano Margaritora, and his personal physician, Luigi Carbone, said Wednesday.
- "Based on his current clinical status, as well as the instrumental and laboratory tests performed, there are no contraindications that would prevent him from undertaking his upcoming apostolic journey to Latin America as planned," the Vatican said in a statement on Monday.
- The Vatican press office said the pope's recovery continues to progress in line with favorable assessments from his medical team.
- It also confirmed the pope is keeping the already ambitious trip program with no announced changes.
- SEE ALSO: Pope Leo XIV cancels Assisi trip on doctors' advice as he recovers from surgery The pope's physician, Luigi Carbone, said there's no medical reason preventing Leo's trip to South America, which involves a dozen flights and two helicopter rides to high altitudes.
What's still developing
- The pope carried on his official business while in the hospital, including a call with Russian President Vladimir Putin.
- Surgery often can be enough when tumours are caught very early, as the Catholic leader appears to have had, when the nodule was initially found during another unrelated exam.
- During his 12-day trip, he will spend more than 46 hours in the air, taking 12 planes and two helicopters.
- Pope Leo's trip to South America next month will go ahead as planned, the Vatican said Monday, confirming the papal visit nearly two weeks after the pontiff's lung-cancer surgery.
- The Vatican’s press office said in an update from the pope’s doctors that final reports and analyses of tissue removed from his surgery were completed Wednesday.
- RELATED STORY | Vatican says pope has lung cancer and lower lobe of his right lung was removed Tests confirmed a diagnosis of lung adenocarcinoma, the Vatican said in a medical bulletin released Tuesday after the surgery, which marked the first major health event of his 17-month pontificate.
- At the Angelus, the Pope announces surgery to remove a “small, localized nodule” found during routine medical checks.
- The trip beginning next week (November 6 to 17) is scheduled to proceed according to the original plan, as Pope Leo's recovery from surgery continues without complications.
- “I am looking forward to returning to the continent where I’ve experienced so many moments of my life,” Leo said Monday.