Vatican denies report that Pope Francis in ill health

The Vatican on Wednesday denied Pope Francis is in ill health, saying his head is “absolutely perfect” after an Italian newspaper reported he has a small, curable brain tumor. The Japanese brain cancer specialist identified as having made the diagnosis denied having ever examined the pontiff.

Vatican spokesman the Rev. Federico Lombardi said the report in the National Daily was “completely unfounded and seriously irresponsible,” as well as “absolutely inexcusable and unconscionable.”

Citing unnamed nursing sources, the National Daily said Francis, 78, had been examined by Dr. Takanori Fukushima, who determined that the small dark spot on Francis’ brain was a tumor that could be treated without surgery. It said Fukushima had traveled to the Vatican to examine the pope.

The ANSA news agency, citing sources in Pisa, said Fukushima traveled to the Vatican in January and diagnosed the pope then.

In a statement issued late Wednesday by Duke University in North Carolina, Fukushima said: “I have never medically examined the pope. These stories are completely false.” Fukushima is a consulting professor of neurosurgery at Duke University Medical Center.

The newspaper’s editor, Andrea Cangini, stood by the story, saying that the newspaper cross-checked the information with sources.