Pope Leo XIV’s outlook after surgery for lung cancer appears encouraging, according to two outside medical experts, who said early surgery can be a sign that the disease was found at a treatable stage. The 71-year-old pope underwent a roughly 90-minute operation in Rome on Tuesday, Oct. 13, the Vatican announced. Although Leo had described a lung nodule as the target, surgeons removed a larger portion of his right lung, according to the report. Dr. Vin Gupta, a pulmonologist and board member of the American Lung Association, said surgery as the initial treatment was a positive sign because it suggested doctors believed the cancer was early-stage. The cancer type identified was adenocarcinoma, which can have strong survival outcomes when detected early, though prognosis depends on individual medical details. Dr. Jonathan Villena Vargas, a cardiothoracic surgeon at Weill Cornell Medical Center in New York, described the procedure as minimally invasive. He said patients who have similar operations are often able to travel after about two weeks, but Leo’s recovery and schedule will depend on his care team’s assessment. The pope’s public events have been canceled through Oct. 20. A planned November trip to South America, including Peru, where Leo lived for decades, remains on his schedule unless the Vatican announces a change. Gupta also noted that Leo exercises regularly, including playing tennis weekly, and described him as being in robust health before the operation. The Vatican has not released further details about the cancer’s stage or Leo’s recovery.