NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles! Pope Leo XIV has been diagnosed with lung cancer after scheduled surgery, the Vatican announced Tuesday. After undergoing thoracic surgery, where surgeons removed the lower lobe of the Pope’s right lung, examination of the tissue confirmed the diagnosis of lung adenocarcinoma. The diagnosis was suspected based on tests performed before the procedure, according to the Holy See Press Office. He does not smoke and has no known history of smoking. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention indicates that the majority of lung cancer deaths (80%) are caused by smoking. Lung adenocarcinoma is the most common type of lung cancer, accounting for about 40% of all lung cancers in the U.S., according to the Lung Cancer Foundation of America. It is also the most common type among non-smokers. HAVE YOU NEVER SMOKED A CIGARETTE? YOU COULD STILL BE AT HIGHER RISK FOR LUNG CANCER In an interview with Fox News Digital, Lary Robinson, MD, an oncologist at Moffitt Cancer Center in Tampa, Florida, shared his surprise regarding the Pope’s health status, as the lung nodule “was deemed malignant.” About 80% of lung cancers occur in people who smoke or have smoked, said Robinson, who has not treated the Pope. However, he noted that lung cancer also occurs among never smokers, including about 10 percent of male patients and 25 percent of female patients. Newly elected Pope Leo XIV, Cardinal Robert F. Prevost of the United States, appears on the balcony of St. Peter’s Basilica at the Vatican, May 8, 2025. (Dylan Martinez/Reuters)”But [the Pope] He had surgery and a lobectomy, so this is usually only done with people who have localized disease, and presumably he had localized disease. And, hopefully, it’s a stage 1 cancer,” the doctor added. If Pope’s cancer is stage 1, there is a “high chance” of cure: about 90%, depending on the size of the tumor, the oncologist said. The fact that he went straight to surgery suggests there was probably no evidence that the cancer had spread. “There was no pathology to determine… whether he had stage 1 cancer and whether he needs any additional treatment afterward,” Robinson said. “Size matters in lung nodules and lung cancer: the larger the cancer, the worse the prognosis, because it is more likely to be advanced and have spread.” Not all cases of lung cancer are caused by smoking, according to experts. (iStock)Risk factors for those who have never smokedNot all cases of lung cancer are caused by smoking. Other factors such as family history and genetic predisposition may play a role, experts say. Recent research found that a rare genetic mutation in the EGFR T790M gene increased the risk of lung cancer by 25 times compared to people who did not have the mutation, according to findings published in the journal Science. (iStock) Robinson added that other types of smoking, such as pipes and cigars, can increase the risk of lung cancer, as can heavy marijuana use. Another risk factor is exposure to environmental toxins, such as diesel exhaust and radon, according to the oncologist. CLICK HERE TO SUBSCRIBE TO OUR HEALTH NEWSLETTER “Unfortunately, probably more than half of people who have never smoked with lung cancer reach stage 4 of the disease,” Robinson said. “And that’s higher than people who are smokers or ex-smokers, so they start at a worse stage overall.” Symptoms and Detection In most cases, early-stage lung cancer does not present any symptoms, according to Robinson, in those that do present symptoms, the most common are related to the lungs, including persistent cough, difficulty breathing or coughing up blood. Neurological symptoms, such as persistent headaches, may also warrant a visit to a doctor. The most common symptoms are related to the lungs, including persistent cough, difficulty breathing, or coughing up blood. (iStock) Lung cancer is rare in younger adults, so an annual CT scan starting at age 50 is generally recommended for people at high risk, the doctor said. 15 years.TEST YOURSELF WITH OUR LATEST LIFESTYLE QUIZ “Unfortunately, only about 15% of people who are eligible get tested,” Robinson said. “I hope that within four or five years, a screening CT scan will only be confirmatory after they have had a positive blood test at their doctor’s office.”
