Pope returns to Vatican days after surgery; surgeon says he should be fit for Latin America tour

VATICAN CITY (AP) — Pope Leo XIV's cancer surgeon said there are “no clinical reasons” to prevent the pontiff's planned Latin America trip next month, as the pope returned to the Vatican on Saturday days after undergoing lung surgery.“The Holy Father has put his heart and soul into his recovery,” Dr. Stefano Margaritora told Vatican News, adding that he expected the pope to recover fully from surgery “in another 10 days or so.”Leo, 71, is scheduled to make an ambitious Nov. 6-17 trip to Uruguay, Peru and Argentina, including a dozen flights and two helicopter rides to high altitudes.“As for a long trip involving air travel in about three weeks, I would say there are no clinical reasons why it should not take place,” Margaritora said.Leo had the lower lobe of his right lung removed on Tuesday. The surgery confirmed he had adenocarcinoma, the most common type of lung cancer. He left the hospital on Saturday, well ahead of the week-long hospital stay the Vatican had initially anticipated.