In his first interview after revealing in September that he had a "highly curable" form of cancer, Blankfein said he had undergone 600 hours of chemotherapy.

"From the moment I got the diagnosis, I went about it and dealt with it. I was able to handle the meds pretty well," Blankfein told CNBC, adding that he was also able to go to work.

Blankfein, 61, has led what is viewed as the most powerful U.S. investment bank since 2006, and bank executives say he has never hinted at when he might retire or his plans after Goldman.

The New Yorker is credited with helping to keep the company afloat during the financial crisis with an early decision to rein in exposure to risky mortgage-backed securities and a successful appeal to Warren Buffett to invest in Goldman during the chaotic days after Lehman Brothers went bust.

In the interview, Blankfein also touched briefly upon the state of the U.S. economy and the business outlook for the Wall Street bank.

"(The) U.S. economy is not going off the rails," he said, adding that it was not the best moment for Goldman in the current cycle.

"I'm generally sanguine. We muddle through. I think some of this is an overreaction to the overreaction of assets being so swollen."

He said Goldman could, however, grow its asset management business and embrace technology.

On the U.S. Federal Reserve's recent rate hike, he said it was "too early" to judge the central bank's actions and that it was important to avoid deflation.

Blankfein's life is a classic rags-to-riches story. Born in the South Bronx and raised in a housing project in Brooklyn's East New York neighborhood, he worked his way through Harvard College and Harvard Law School, helped by financial aid.