Pope Leo XIV seen for first time since lung cancer surgery amid major recovery milestone

Pope Leo XIV is up and moving after having part of his lung removed.

After undergoing Tuesday, during which surgeons removed the lower lobe of the popes right lung, examination of the tissue confirmed a diagnosis of lung adenocarcinoma, or lung cancer, according to the Vatican.

The pope, 71, has spent four days recovering at Gemelli Hospital in Rome, Italy, after the successful procedure.

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On Friday, the Vatican released the first photos of after the operation.

The pope is pictured standing at an altar in green vestments, in a makeshift chapel at the hospital where he distributed communion.

According to a Holy See Press Office statement, several members of Gemellis medical and nursing staff and members of the Vatican City State Gendarmerie Corps attended the service.

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"In his homily, the Pope thanked all the staff — doctors, nurses and orderlies — for the work they do every day caring for patients in their frailty and especially for what they have done and continue to do for him," the statement said.

The Vatican also confirmed on Friday that the popes recovery continues with "steady improvement in his overall condition."

Dr. Luigi Carbone and professor Stefano Margaritora added that the popes "post-operative recovery allows him to carry out normal daily activities entirely independently."

Pope Leo plans to make his first public appearance since the procedure on Sunday during the noon Angelus, which he normally leads.

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Fox News senior medical analyst Dr. Marc Siegel said the popes procedure included a small incision with VAT (video-assisted thoracoscopy), which involves and has a quicker recovery.

The pope was in good health "to begin with" and is highly active, which plays a "major role in recovery," Siegel, who has not treated the Pope, told Fox News Digital.

"Since he wasnt a smoker and likely had very good underlying , loss of a lobe, when there are three total on the right, shouldnt have a major impact on daily activity, especially with pain controlled," the doctor added.

In a separate Fox News Digital interview, Lary Robinson, an oncologist at Moffitt Cancer Center in Tampa, Florida, shared his surprise regarding the popes health status.

About 80% of lung cancers occur in people who smoke or have smoked, said Robinson, who has not treated the pope. However, he noted that also occurs among never-smokers, including an estimated 10% of male patients and 25% of female patients.

"But [the pope] had surgery and had a lobectomy, so this is usually only done with people who have localized disease, and presumably he had localized disease. And hopefully that's a Stage 1 cancer," the doctor added.

If the popes cancer is Stage 1, there is a "high chance" of cure — about 90% — depending on the size of the tumor, the oncologist said. The fact that he went straight to surgery suggests there was likely no evidence that the cancer had spread.

"We'll have to wait for the pathology to determine … whether he needs any afterward," Robinson said.

The popes anticipated trip to South America in November is