On Thursday, Pennsylvania Lt. Gov. Catherine Baker Knoll (77) said she had been diagnosed with neuroendocrine illness earlier this year and that a recent test had confirmed the initial diagnosis.

She added that, up to this point, she has not experienced any symptoms of the illness and that she expects to carry on with her current job. She said the diagnosis was extremely surprising as she had been feeling great.

The lieutenant governor has taken on an agressive approach for treating the condition and so far, the results have been quite encouraging. The most important thing is that she is optimistic about it.

Catherine Knoll’s chief of staff, Sal Sirabella, was unable to answer questions regarding the exact location of the cancer or its evolution. He said several tests were still to be performed over the next few weeks; their results should provide all the necessary information.

The state's first female lieutenant governor decided not to talk about the medical team in charge with the investigation and her doctors could not be contacted for commenting upon the situation. She only mentioned she was being cared for by the Penn State Hershey Medical Center.

According to David Metz, medicine professor and associate chief for clinical affairs in the gastroenterology division of the University of Pennsylvania, neuroendocrine tumors usually occur in the digestive system, in either the bowel or the pancreas, but can also be found in the lungs or in the liver.