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Mark Ruffalo has said he was diagnosed with a benign brain tumor in 2001 and underwent surgery to remove it. He has described losing hearing in his left ear and waking with temporary paralysis on the left side of his face; he said the facial paralysis resolved in about a year. The public accounts available do not establish his complete current health status.
Did Mark Ruffalo have a brain tumor?
Yes. Ruffalo has publicly described a brain tumor diagnosis in 2001. News reports identify it as a benign vestibular schwannoma, also called an acoustic neuroma. That identification is based on reporting and an Acoustic Neuroma Association patient story, not a review of his medical records. The accounts describe a benign tumor, not cancer. (NPR Fresh Air; WRAL carrying CNN; CNA Lifestyle; Acoustic Neuroma Association)
How did he discover it?
In accounts of a 2024 SmartLess conversation, Ruffalo recalled having a vivid dream that he had a brain tumor. He said he sought medical attention, and a scan found a mass behind his left ear. CNA reported that he said an ear infection was his only symptom before the scan. The dream is his personal recollection, not medical evidence or a way to diagnose a tumor. (WRAL carrying CNN; CNA Lifestyle)
What happened after surgery?
Ruffalo said he underwent surgery to remove the tumor. In his account, the doctors told him that the operation carried a 20% chance of damage to the left facial nerve and a 70% chance of losing hearing in his left ear. Those figures describe the risks he said he was given for his own case; they are not general medical statistics. (WRAL carrying CNN)
#1 Best Overall
- Helpful to describe the symptoms and reasons for specific tumor.
- Provides straightforward information about how brain tumors are diagnosed.
- Addresses the emotional impact of the diagnosis on the patient and their family.
- Outlines the complex array of available treatments in a sequential, logical, and thorough manner.
- Aescribes how to deal with the aftermath.
Hearing loss and facial paralysis
Ruffalo has said he became completely deaf in his left ear after surgery. He also said he woke with paralysis on the left side of his face. The 2024 accounts report that the facial paralysis resolved after about a year, while the hearing loss remained. (WRAL carrying CNN; CNA Lifestyle)
Balance, cognition, and returning to work
In a 2007 interview with NPR’s Fresh Air, Ruffalo recalled severe balance problems, disorientation, cognitive difficulties, and months of side effects and complications during recovery. He also discussed gradually returning to acting. These are his retrospective descriptions of that period, not a current medical assessment. (NPR Fresh Air)
Is Mark Ruffalo deaf in one ear now?
Ruffalo has described lasting deafness in his left ear following the surgery. His 2007 interview and the 2024 reports recount that experience, but they do not provide a comprehensive account of his present health. They do not establish whether he has any other current illness or whether a tumor is active. (NPR Fresh Air; WRAL carrying CNN; CNA Lifestyle)
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.How Ruffalo has talked about the experience
Ruffalo’s interviews describe not only physical recovery but also the frustration of being reduced to a diagnosis. In the 2007 Fresh Air conversation, he said, “And I’m not the actor with the brain tumor. I’m much more than that.” That perspective matters when recounting his story: the surgery and its consequences were significant, but they do not define his whole life or career. (NPR Fresh Air)
Quick Recap
Best Value
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Rank #3
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- Waterproof Vinyl Material – Durable, water-resistant, and reusable; ideal for indoor/outdoor items (laptop, skateboard, luggage, etc.)
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- Meaningful Gift Choice – Ideal for holidays, birthdays, parties, or as a thoughtful token for brain tumor awareness supporters
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