"I have recently been diagnosed with early stage pancreatic cancer," the 75-year-old Hurt, who appeared in the cult film "Alien" and the Harry Potter series, said in a statement to Britain's Press Association.
"I am undergoing treatment and am more than optimistic about a satisfactory outcome, as indeed is the medical team," said Hurt, who has been nominated twice for Oscars for "The Elephant Man" and "Midnight Express".
"I am continuing to focus on my professional commitments and will shortly be recording 'Jeffrey Bernard Is Unwell' (one of life's small ironies!) for BBC Radio 4," he added.
He was knighted last year for services to drama.
In recent months, Hurt has been filming "The History of Love" with Gemma Arterton and Derek Jacobi and "Tarzan" with Samuel L. Jackson and Margot Robbie.
In the Harry Potter films, Hurt played Garrick Ollivander, a genial magic wand seller.