New Delhi, Oct. 14 -- Pope Leo XIV has been diagnosed with pulmonary adenocarcinoma, a form of lung cancer that can develop without noticeable symptoms in its early stages and can affect both smokers and non-smokers.

The 71-year-old underwent surgery at Rome's Gemelli hospital to remove the lower lobe of his right lung. The Vatican said tests confirmed the diagnosis after doctors had suspected it during preoperative examinations. According to the AP, the Vatican described the surgery as successful, with no complications.

The diagnosis has drawn attention to pulmonary adenocarcinoma, the most common form of non-small cell lung cancer, and the challenges involved in detecting it early.

Pulmonary adenocarcinoma develops in glandular cells...