VATICAN CITY, Oct 11 (Reuters) - Pope Leo said on Sunday that doctors had detected a small ‌growth on his lung during a recent ‌health check and he would be undergoing surgery this week to ​remove it, in the first health scare of the 71-year-old pontiff's tenure.

Leo told pilgrims in St. Peter's Square for his weekly Sunday prayer that the growth was "well-contained" ‌and caught at ⁠an early stage.

"Recently, during some medical examinations, doctors found a localized nodule in my ⁠lung," said the pontiff. "It was detected at a very early stage and is well contained."

"The doctors believe it ​is advisable ​to intervene, so, following ​their advice, I have ‌decided to undergo surgery to remove it," he said. "The operation is already scheduled for the next few days."

Leo, elected pope by the world's cardinals in May 2025, is relatively young for a C...