Pope Leo's lung adenocarcinoma is a common disease with promising chances of recovery

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Yesterday, Tuesday, Pope Leo

The Vatican explained that surgeons completely removed the cancerous tumor, along with the lower lobe of the right lung, in a step aimed at eliminating the disease and enhancing the chances of recovery. He also added on Wednesday that the Pope spent a "quiet night" following the surgery.

At the same time, the wife of one of the Pope’s older brothers revealed that her husband was also receiving treatment for cancer.

Deborah Prevost said, in statements to CBS yesterday, that Louis Prevost (74 years old), who lives in Florida, is receiving treatment at a local hospital for multiple myeloma.

She explained that Lewis was diagnosed with cancer in 2017, indicating that he underwent stem cell treatment in 2019, after which the disease remained under control for a long time.

Lung adenocarcinoma represents about 40% of lung cancer cases, and falls within the category of non-small cell lung cancer, which usually grows and spreads more slowly than small cell lung cancer.

Surgery is often the first treatment option for this type of cancer. If a tumor is discovered inside one of the lung lobes, doctors usually resort to removing the affected lobe to remove the tumor and increase the chances of recovery, while the body gradually adapts to the loss of part of the respiratory capacity, according to CNN.

The causes of this type of cancer are still not completely clear. Although smoking increases the risk of infection, other factors include exposure to radon gas, which is the most common cause of lung cancer after smoking, in addition to fine particle pollution.

Lung adenocarcinoma is often diagnosed in people who have never smoked, and is more common among women, younger people, and people of East Asian descent.

This type of cancer is one of the most prominent causes of tumor-related deaths, because it is often discovered in advanced stages.

But Pope Leo revealed last Sunday that doctors detected the mass in his lungs at a “very early stage,” which was considered by the national medical spokeswoman for the American Lung Association, Juanita Mora, to be a very positive factor.

Mora said that diagnosing the condition at an early stage, confining the tumor to a specific area of ​​the lung, and then removing it surgically are all factors that favor the Pope and improve his prospects for recovery.

It is also likely that the recovery period will take a little longer, because the lungs need to adapt to the loss of one of the lobes.

She also added that breathing may be more difficult at first until the left lung begins to compensate for part of the lost function, noting that a decrease in lung capacity does not necessarily have a significant impact on the patient’s ability to breathe in his daily life.

Another positive factor is that the Pope, who is 71 years old, does not smoke, is in good physical shape, and practices tennis regularly.

According to the doctors, the Pope will need to undergo respiratory therapy and rehabilitation exercises to help restore the efficiency of the lungs. He will also be required to avoid respiratory infections as much as possible, because they may affect him more after removing part of the lung.

Mora also pointed out that his predecessor, Pope Francis, lived an active life despite the fact that in his youth he underwent the removal of a lobe of the right lung after contracting tuberculosis, stressing that many people can live their lives normally after this type of operation.

Patients usually stay in the hospital for several days after a lobectomy until their vital signs and oxygen levels stabilize, before completing the recovery period at home.

But the Pope's decision to proceed with a scheduled visit to Latin America next month will depend on the results of additional tests in the coming days.

Doctors will examine samples from the lymph nodes surrounding the lung and the excised tissue to determine the extent of the disease and its stage. If cancer cells are found in the lymph nodes or evidence that the tumor has spread, the pope may need additional treatments such as chemotherapy or radiation.

The medical team will also conduct advanced genetic and biological tests to determine the best treatment options if needed, including targeted immunotherapy.

Mora pointed out that these tests have brought about a major shift in the treatment of lung cancer in recent years, adding that she hopes that the Pope’s tumor is an isolated local condition that has been completely eliminated through surgery.

She concluded by saying that survival rates in such cases, when detected early and surgically removed, range between 80% and 98%, but the final evaluation will depend on the results of the tests that are still awaited.