by KYW's Tony Romeo

It appears that Pennsylvania governor Ed Rendell may not have known for weeks that his second in command, lieutenant governor Catherine Baker Knoll, was being treated for cancer.

Knoll announced Wednesday night that she’s being treated for a form of cancer (see related story), but she was actually diagnosed more than a month ago. And according to her chief of staff, Sal Sirabella, she may have told Governor Rendell that she had cancer only a few days ago.
  
Sirabella says she did tell the governor back in July that she was sick. But he acknowledges that he only heard her end of the telephone conversation:

“She basically said ‘I’m very sick and I’m being treated, and I’m being tested and diagnosed.’  And I think the governor just left it at that. Especially with the comment that, ‘I’m public, but this is a private matter at this point.’ ”

Knoll, in a letter posted on her official state web site, says she is optimistic about her outlook and says she plans to resume her duties as lieutenant governor -- including presiding over the state senate when it returns to work next month.