Going Straight to Lung Surgery Is Often Good News
Doctors removed part of Pope Leo's lung first, a sequence that points to early, contained disease.
Up First from NPR · Ukraine's President Sits With NPR, Pope Leo Cancer, Ambassador Guilfoyle Forced OutIt sounds alarming to hear that doctors removed part of a lung because of cancer. In lung cancer care, though, going straight to the operating room can be a reassuring sign.
That is what happened with Pope Leo. The operation lasted about 90 minutes, and doctors removed the lower lobe, or lower section, of his right lung. The next step is waiting for pathology tests, laboratory study of the removed tissue, to reveal exactly what kind of cancer it is.
The reason for optimism is the sequence. Several lung experts said the course the doctors took suggests the cancer was caught early and had not spread. Vin Gupta, a doctor at the University of Washington, called starting with surgery a "really good sign" that doctors viewed this as early-stage disease that had not reached the lymph nodes. Lymph nodes are nearby bits of tissue where doctors look to see whether cancer has moved beyond its original spot.
That lifespan point comes from reporting on Gupta's analysis, not as a final diagnosis. According to that account, still waiting on the pathology report, if early-stage disease is confirmed and Leo gets regular monitoring afterward, it might not affect his lifespan at all.
Recovery is still painful in the short term. Leo is expected to remain hospitalized for several days, and his schedule has been cleared for at least a week, but doctors say "patients are often back to normal routines in many ways" within two weeks.
Living with less than two full lungs is also more ordinary than it sounds. Pope Francis underwent removal of lung tissue in his youth and lived for decades afterward.
Questions people ask
What does a pathology report after lung surgery actually show?
The pathologist looks at the removed lung tissue under a microscope to identify the cancer type, check whether the edges are clear of cancer, and see if nearby lymph tissue contains cancer cells. Those details decide whether more treatment is needed and how often the patient should be scanned.
Can you live a normal life with part of a lung missing?
Yes. The remaining lung tissue can expand and take over much of the lost function, especially when the disease was limited to one lobe. That is why many people, including Pope Francis after an early operation, can breathe comfortably and stay active for decades.
What does regular monitoring mean after early lung cancer surgery?
Regular monitoring usually means periodic chest scans and doctor visits for several years. The goal is to catch any return of cancer, or a new lung spot, while it is still small enough to treat.