Photo: TIZIANA FABI / AFP / Getty Images
Pope Leo XIV is recovering from surgery in Rome after having a cancerous growth removed from his right lung, while his older brother, Louis Prevost, is also battling cancer. According to BBC News, Louis Prevost is undergoing treatment for multiple myeloma, a type of blood cancer, at a hospital in Florida. His wife, Deborah Prevost, shared that he was first diagnosed in 2017 and recently fell out of remission.
The Pope, whose birth name is Robert Francis Prevost, underwent a 90-minute surgery on Tuesday (October 13) at Rome's Gemelli Hospital. The Vatican described the surgery as "successful," stating that the Pope awoke normally and returned to his room after a brief observation period. He was diagnosed with lung adenocarcinoma, a common type of lung cancer, and is expected to remain in the hospital for a week.
Deborah Prevost told FOX 5 San Diego that the family is "going through a lot" but remains hopeful. She mentioned that the brothers spoke last week before Louis began his latest clinical trial. Louis Prevost is participating in a clinical trial involving CAR-T cell therapy, which reprograms a patient's immune cells to recognize and destroy blood cancers.
The Pope has canceled public appearances through October 20 as he recovers. The Vatican has not disclosed the stage of the Pope's cancer or whether additional treatment will be necessary.