Pope Leo XIV's lung cancer and surgery

His doctors said he was eating regularly, had begun walking and doing breathing exercises, and that his post-operative tests were normal.^[1] His audiences were canceled through October 20, though he remained in charge of the papacy,^[5] and he asked for prayers in his first pontifical message since announcing the surgery, issued for a meeting marking the 10th anniversary of Pope Francis's text "Amoris Laetitia."^[4] On October 16 the Vatican stopped its morning updates confirming that he had woken up and had breakfast, and it weighed whether he could appear for the Sunday prayer.^[1]

The diagnosis raised questions about the future of his pontificate, though Vatican watchers said it could also push him to accelerate his own agenda.^[6] There were strong suggestions that he knew something before his September trip to France, where he prayed at the shrine in Lourdes and performed the "three gestures" of a pilgrim seeking a cure, The Philadelphia Inquirer reported.^[6]

His older brother, Louis Prevost, who lives in Florida, has multiple myeloma, his wife told CBS News.^[7] President Donald Trump offered the pope his "best wishes" and "love" the day after the diagnosis and said Prevost was a friend and a supporter of his,^[8] and critics faulted Trump for moving quickly on to other matters after wishing the pope well.^[9] This arc follows the pope's illness from the announcement of his surgery onward.