What's the Pope's prognosis?

NPR | By Jason DeRose,

Scott Detrow

Published October 14, 2026 at 4:28 PM EDT

Pope Leo is resting in a Roman hospital after undergoing lung surgery to remove a cancerous growth, according to the Vatican. Meanwhile, experts are weighin in about what this health scare means for the 71-year-old pontiff and his papacy?

Jason DeRose

Jason DeRose covers religion for NPR News.

See stories by Jason DeRose

Scott Detrow

Scott Detrow is a host of All Things Considered, as well as NPR’s daily news podcast Consider This.

See stories by Scott Detrow

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