Harvey Weinstein has been diagnosed with chronic myeloid leukemia, a form of bone cancer, a source says

CNN
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Harvey Weinstein has been diagnosed with bone cancer, a source close to the jailed producer tells CNN.

Weinstein's specific diagnosis is chronic myeloid leukemia, a form of bone marrow cancer, the source said, adding that he is undergoing treatment at Rikers Island in New York.

Weinstein's longtime spokeswoman, Juda Engelmayer, declined to comment on Weinstein's diagnosis. His attorney, Arthur Aidala, did not immediately respond to CNN's request for comment.

Craig Rothfeld, Weinstein's prison consultant and authorized public health representative in New York state, dismissed speculation about Weinstein's diagnosis.

“It is both worrying and unacceptable that such private and confidential health matters have become the subject of public discussion. Out of respect for Mr. Weinstein’s privacy, we will have no further comment,” Rothfeld said in a statement to CNN.

The diagnosis was first reported by NBC News.

Chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) is a rare type of cancer that forms in the bone marrow before reaching the blood. According to the American Cancer Society, it is a slow-growing type of leukemia that can become acute if not treated quickly with targeted therapy.

Because CML is not as common as other blood diseases, it has taken scientists years to develop, test and optimize treatments for the cancer, the society said.

Approximately 15 to 30% of people with CML go on to develop acute myeloid leukemia. CML also typically affects more men than women, they say.

Last month, Weinstein underwent emergency heart surgery. His spokesman told CNN at the time that he was taken to Bellevue Hospital in New York for the procedure and released shortly afterwards.

“As we have detailed, Mr. Weinstein suffers from a variety of serious health conditions that require ongoing treatment,” Weinstein's representatives said in September.

A week after his release following heart surgery, Weinstein attended a court hearing where he pleaded not guilty to one count of first-degree criminal sexual conduct after being indicted by a grand jury on a new charge earlier this month.

Earlier this year, an appeals court overturned Weinstein's 2020 conviction, marking a key turning point in the #MeToo movement. He is scheduled to be retried in New York on November 12, but prosecutors have decided to combine Weinstein's cases into one trial – a move his defense has strongly objected to.

On Monday, Weinstein's spokesman Engelmayer declined to comment on whether his cancer diagnosis could have any impact on his upcoming trial.

CNN's Karina Tsui contributed to this report.