Pope Leo XIV has lung cancer called adenocarcinoma. Here’s what that means

Pope Leo XIV had the lower section of his right lung removed after doctors diagnosed him with the most common form of lung cancer. While lung cancer is a leading killer, survival rates can be high if it’s caught early, as the pope’s tumor appears to have been. Here are some things to know.

What is lung adenocarcinoma?

The Vatican announced the pope’s diagnosis as lung adenocarcinoma, which is one of many forms of lung cancer.

There are two main groups, small cell and non-small cell lung cancers. The non-small cell kind make up the vast majority of the world’s cases and adenocarcinoma is its most common subtype. Even it comes in varieties that can grow faster or slower.

“While it’s still very dangerous, it has slightly higher cure rates than other types of lung cancer,” said Dr. John Heymach of the MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston.

Smoking is the leading cause of lung cancer. But as many as 1 in 5 lung cancers occur in people who have never smoked and it’s not clear why, maybe in some cases just random chance, Heymach said.

Other risks include exposure to radon gas, asbestos, radiation, secondhand smoke and