Pope Leo to undergo surgery to remove lung nodule

Pope Leo has said he will undergo surgery in the next few days to remove a small lung nodule recently discovered during a health check. The 71-year-old leader of the Roman Catholic Church told pilgrims during his weekly Sunday blessing that “it was detected at a very early stage and is circumscribed”. “The doctors believe it’s best to take action, so, following their advice, I’ve decided to have surgery to remove it,” he said at St Peter’s Square during remarks delivered in Italian. The Vatican later said that a week of recovery time is expected after Leo’s surgery, though spokespeople did not say whether the nodule is believed to be malignant. A nodule on the lung is a small, localised lesion that can be benign.