Former Incubus Bassist Ben Kenney’s Brain Tumor Diagnosis Followed Hearing Loss, Dizziness & Facial Numbness

The Brielle, New Jersey, native built his career on both instruments, playing guitar with The Roots in the early 2000s before joining Incubus in 2003, when he replaced founding bassist Alex Katunich.

By around 2022, however, his body was starting to push back. After working through carpal tunnel syndrome, a condition in which the median nerve in the wrist becomes compressed, and tendonitis, an inflammation of the tendons, he began noticing he was losing a “ton of hearing” on his right side.

Then in his mid-40s, Kenney chalked it up to two decades of loud stages. “I’ve been standing next to a bass [cab], 8×10, for 20 years. Turned all the way up. I’m just losing my hearing,” he said.

Soon, though, he was also battling fatigue and dizziness, which he initially wrote off as a sign of age, before his face started to go numb. At that point, his wife insisted he get answers, and Kenney went through a long process of seeing multiple doctors before finding a specialist in Los Angeles who gave him a clear picture.

The diagnosis came while he was on the road with Incubus, and he chose to carry it alone.

He recalled, “I have the knowledge that I may have a brain tumor, right? I didn’t tell nobody. I was just terrified, absolutely terrified. What does a brain tumor do? And meanwhile, this ear is just slowly turning all the way off. I need both ears to really find where pitch is.”

Once he returned home, surgeons successfully removed the tumor, but the recovery came with sobering news. Kenney said his surgeon assured him he would live, then laid out what he called a “whole laundry list” of consequences: the auditory nerve on his right side was dead, the hearing would never return, and there was a chance his face could remain paralyzed for the rest of his life.

Kenney has since stepped away from Incubus and is back on the road with his solo project.

Even so, he says he’s come away from the experience more thankful than bitter.

“Look at what I’ve gotten to do. Look at what I’ve gotten to hear,” he said.

He’s realistic that his other ear may not last forever after a lifetime spent around pounding drums and cranked amps, but he insists he’s at peace with it, adding, “I’m good. I’ve gotten to get more out of music than anybody.”

Fans praised Kenney for being “legendary,” with one commenting on Guitar World’s YouTube video of the interview, “Ben Kenney is a legendary player, who inspired me to pick up the bass!

“Also, just an all-around good dude. Love his solo work and can’t wait for new tunes coming up.”

Another fan commented, “So happy to hear ben has pushed through such adversities an absolute legend of a human and musician.”

“Genuinely one of my musical heroes. I grew up watching Incubus live, but I’ll never forget the first time I saw them with Ben and how his bass tone felt like it punched me in the chest. Seeing how incredible of a drummer he also was sealed the deal for me; this dude is one of the all-time greats,” a wrote a third fan.

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Inside Brain Tumor Surgery and Recovery: What Patients Can Expect

Surgery to remove a brain tumor is delicate by nature, and every movement inside the skull must balance precision with safety.

“We take off the bone overlaying the area we need to get to. We open the little envelope around the brain called the dura, and then we move through the brain tissue to get to where the tumor is to try to cut out as much as we can safely, without hurting the patient’s function or other important things like big blood vessels that can cause things like a stroke,” board-certified neurosurgeon at Emory University School of Medicine Dr. Kimberly Hoang, tells SurvivorNet.

Following surgery, patients are closely monitored and often receive radiation to prevent tumor regrowth—particularly in cases where multiple tumors or metastatic disease are involved.

“Because many patients can have more than one brain tumor or metastasis from their cancer, it was not reasonable to think about surgery for them,” Dr. Hoang adds. “They also get radiation for those spots as well, to try to keep those tumors from growing or shrink them down.”

WATCH: What To Expect Before & After Brain Surgery

Treatment Advancements & the Challenge of the Blood-Brain Barrier

Chemotherapy, immunotherapy, and targeted therapies have long been effective in treating cancer throughout the body. But the brain’s natural defense — the blood-brain barrier — makes these treatments less effective when it comes to brain tumors.

This barrier is “a network of blood vessels and tissue…made up of closely spaced cells and helps keep harmful substances from reaching the brain,” according to the National Cancer Institute.

Still, Dr. Hoang notes that recent advancements in drug design are beginning to improve treatment efficacy in the brain.

Understanding Side Effects of Brain Tumor Treatment

Side effects vary depending on the tumor’s size, location, and number of lesions present.

“Radiation treatment can cause swelling in the tumor as the tumor ‘dies,’ and the surrounding tissue can also become swollen as the treatment takes effect,” Dr. Krishanthan Vigneswaran, a neurosurgeon with UT Health Houston and Memorial Hermann, tells SurvivorNet.

“This swelling can cause symptoms of headache, nausea, vomiting, and neurological loss of function…Surgical resection can also induce swelling, but this is more transient.”

Tumor location often determines what symptoms emerge:

“If it’s near your movement area, movement on one side of the body can be affected. If it’s near your speech area, your speech and the way you form words and express them can be affected,” Dr. Hoang explains.

She also notes brain surgery tends to be less painful than other types — like spinal or abdominal — due to fewer nerves in the surgical area.

Recovery & Long-Term Monitoring

Many experts recommend joining a support group — especially one with people who’ve undergone similar procedures. Their lived experience can offer comfort and practical advice.

“Support groups can be incredibly helpful to patients and are commonly offered at major cancer centers and hospitals,” says Dr. Jennifer Moliterno, Chief of Neurosurgical Oncology at Yale Cancer Center.

Mental health professionals are also often part of the care team, helping patients manage the emotional effects of surgery, treatment, and recovery.

Better Understanding Brain Tumors

Brain tumors can impact a person’s cognitive function and overall well-being, depending largely on the tumor’s size, type, and specific location within the brain. When large enough, tumors may interfere with the central nervous system, pressing on nearby nerves, blood vessels, or tissues. This disruption may result in difficulties with coordination, balance, or mobility.

WATCH: Hope for Glioblastoma Research

While some brain tumors cause noticeable symptoms, others can go unnoticed for long periods. When symptoms do occur, they might include:

• Persistent headaches
• Difficulty speaking or processing thoughts
• Muscle weakness
• Behavioral or personality changes
• Vision disturbances
• Seizures
• Hearing loss
• Confusion
• Memory issues

Treatment Options for Brain Tumors

Treatment strategies for brain cancer depend on several variables, including the tumor’s size, type, grade, and location. Doctors may recommend:

• Surgery
• Radiation therapy
• Chemotherapy

Your medical team will help guide you based on your individual diagnosis. The prognosis—or outlook—depends on:

• Tumor type and growth rate
• Tumor location in the brain
• Presence of genetic mutations or abnormalities
• Whether the entire tumor can be removed
• The patient’s overall health

Types of Brain Tumors: Cancerous and Non-Cancerous

According to the National Cancer Institute, brain tumors can vary greatly in behavior. Some common non-cancerous (benign) types include:

• Chordomas: Slow-growing, often found near the spine’s base or where it meets the skull
• Craniopharyngiomas: Develop near the pituitary gland; rare and slow-growing
• Gangliocytomas: Form in the temporal lobe and affect the central nervous system
• Glomus jugulare: Rare and slow-growing
• Meningiomas: Typically grow on the brain’s outer protective layer (dura mater)
• Pineocytomas: Arise from the pineal gland near the brain’s center
• Pituitary adenomas: Located in the pituitary gland; generally slow-growing
• Schwannomas: Originate in Schwann cells, which insulate nerve fibers
• Acoustic neuromas (vestibular schwannomas): Impact on hearing and balance nerves

Common malignant (cancerous) brain tumors include:

• Gliomas: The most frequent and aggressive form of primary brain cancer
• Astrocytomas: Derived from star-shaped brain cells, with four growth grades
• Ependymomas: Graded based on aggressiveness
• Oligodendrogliomas: Can grow slowly (Grade 2) or aggressively (Grade 3)
• Medulloblastomas: Fast-growing and often found in children
• Glioblastomas: The most common and aggressive brain tumor in adults

Figuring Out If You’re Ready to Share Your Diagnosis

Kenney waited some time before going public with his brain tumor diagnosis. Everyone navigates health challenges differently—some individuals facing cancer or chronic disease choose to openly share their stories, while others confide only in those closest to them. According to SurvivorNet experts, there’s no one-size-fits-all approach—every way of coping, from public to private, is entirely valid.

WATCH: Sharing a Diagnosis

“Patients who have just been diagnosed with cancer sometimes wonder how they are going to handle the diagnosis in social situations,” explains psychiatrist Dr. Lori Plutchik.

She says many wrestle with questions like, “How much information should they share, and with whom should they share it?”

“There is no one right way to handle this diagnosis,” Dr. Plutchik emphasizes. “People should do what feels right to them.”

Because a cancer journey can last months—even years—patients often face ongoing uncertainty about their health, and this lack of clarity can greatly influence when, and how, someone chooses to share their diagnosis, she adds.

Dr. Plutchik also underscores the importance of respecting boundaries: loved ones and friends should honor the patient’s preferences about what they’re ready to disclose and when they’re ready to seek support.

Turning to SurvivorNet for Help

For patients and families navigating a brain tumor, brain cancer diagnosis, or any cancer diagnosis, finding trials can feel overwhelming. That’s why SurvivorNet encourages patients to use its proprietary Clinical Trial Finder, a free tool designed to help patients identify relevant trials quickly and easily.

Every year, new early-phase studies come online, each one representing another step forward.

As Dr. Simon Khagi, a neuro-oncologist at the Hoag Family Cancer Institute in Newport Beach, California, previously explained to SurvivorNet, progress in glioblastoma, the most aggressive forms of brain cancer, won’t come from a single breakthrough, but from smart combinations, persistence, and continued participation in clinical trials that keep hope alive where it once didn’t exist.

Meanwhile, SurvivorNet’s proprietary platform, “My Health Questions,” was built specifically for the realities of cancer care experienced by patients and caregivers, and not as a general‑purpose chatbot.

It handles both complex clinical issues and everyday logistical concerns with accuracy, clarity, and personalization.

Users can create a tailored health profile by entering details such as age, gender, and location, allowing the platform to refine responses over time. This reflects SurvivorNet’s mission: pairing cutting‑edge technology with physician‑driven expertise to make complex medical information accessible and actionable.

The tool guided him with the same safety‑first approach that clinicians emphasize.

Crucially, the tool is doctor‑supported. Leading oncology experts review the information to ensure it is accurate, safe, and easy to understand.

The goal is not to replace clinicians, but to help patients arrive at appointments better prepared with informed questions and a clearer understanding of their care journey. This combination of AI efficiency and medical oversight is already making a difference.

Contributing: SurvivorNet Staff

Learn more about SurvivorNet's rigorous medical review process.

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