India, Oct. 11 -- Pope Leo XIV has announced that he will undergo lung surgery to remove a small lump, known as a lung nodule, that doctors discovered during medical check-ups. The 71-year-old pope made the announcement on Sunday after the traditional Angelus prayer in St. Peter's Square at the Vatican.

Doctors discovered the lung nodule at a very early stage. Pope Leo said the nodule was well-defined, meaning doctors had identified a specific, localised area in his lung. He said doctors recommended surgery to remove it, and he decided to follow their advice, according to CNN.

A lung nodule is a small mass of dense tissue in the lung. Most lung nodules are non-cancerous, but the Vatican has not confirmed whether the pope's nodule is can...