A source close to the Prevost family told NBC 5 Chicago journalist Mary Ann Ahern that the pope’s brother, Louis, was receiving treatment for blood cancer. However, further details about his condition, prognosis or how long he has been undergoing treatment were not immediately available.
The development comes after Pope Leo underwent surgery in Rome earlier this week, during which doctors confirmed he had lung adenocarcinoma, a type of non-small cell lung cancer.
The Vatican disclosed that the lower lobe of the pope’s right lung was removed during the procedure. Details of his prognosis have not been made public.
According to Harvard Medical School, lung adenocarcinoma develops when abnormal cells in the lungs multiply uncontrollably and form a tumour.
The Lung Cancer Foundation of America identifies it as the most common type of lung cancer, accounting for approximately 40 per cent of cases.
Commenting on the pontiff’s diagnosis, Dr Stephen Liu, a lung cancer expert at Georgetown University’s Lombardi Comprehensive Cancer Center, said the outlook would depend partly on the stage of the disease.
“Adenocarcinoma is the most common (type of lung cancer), also with the most favorable prognosis,” Liu said. “While we know the diagnosis we now need to know the stage.”
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