Cardinal George cancels plans to travel to Rome

CHICAGO - The Archdiocese of Chicago says Cardinal Francis George will not travel to Rome in October to meet with Pope Francis.

Spokeswoman Colleen Dolan says the archbishop of Chicago had hoped to make that trip in mid-October but will not be able to because of medical treatment. She says the trip may be rescheduled.

The 77-year-old George is undergoing treatment for a recurrence of cancer near his right kidney. Last week, the archdiocese announced he was participating in a clinical trial of an experimental drug at the University of Chicago Medicine.

George said early this year that he believes the cancer eventually will take his life. He survived bladder cancer eight years ago.

George has been the spiritual leader of Chicago's more than 2 million Roman Catholics since 1997.