Jake Luppen to Undergo Craniotomy on November 6
The musician will undergo a six-hour procedure to remove a suspected stage two glioma on his brain.
Updated on Oct. 26, 2026 in Stroke
Jake Luppen, the 31-year-old musician, is scheduled for a craniotomy on November 6, 2026, to address a suspected stage two glioma. The procedure follows the recent detection of growth in a brain lesion originally identified seven years ago.
Why it matters
The surgery aims to address a suspected stage two glioma that has been linked to focal seizures. Because the lesion is located near the basal ganglia, surgical removal is necessary for a definitive diagnosis, as a traditional biopsy is considered too dangerous.
A diagnostic review including MRI imaging and evaluation of focal seizures identified a 9-millimeter brain lesion with signs of growth. The definitive diagnosis of the suspected stage two glioma remains unresolved pending tissue analysis from the upcoming craniotomy.
The players
Jake Luppen
A 31-year-old musician and member of the band Hippo Campus who is undergoing neurosurgery.
The details
The surgical team plans to perform an awake craniotomy, which will take approximately 6 hours, to maximize the safe removal of the lesion. By keeping the patient awake, surgeons can better preserve critical neurological functions during the procedure. The extracted tissue will then be analyzed to confirm the stage and nature of the growth.
Timeline
2019: Initial MRI revealed a nine-millimeter brain lesion.
September 2024: The band Hippo Campus released their fourth album, Flood.
September 2025: Jake Luppen married singer Raffaella.
October 14, 2026: Luppen shared his medical diagnosis publicly.
November 6, 2026: The craniotomy is scheduled to take place.
Health Landscape
This approach follows standard protocols in the clinical management of low-grade gliomas when biopsies are too high-risk. Surgery remains the primary path for both therapeutic intervention and obtaining the tissue necessary for accurate staging and treatment planning.
Patients presenting with recurring focal seizures or findings of stable brain lesions should consult their neurologist about the necessity of follow-up imaging. Monitoring for changes in lesion size is a standard preventive step for those with identified, non-symptomatic brain growths.
The takeaway
When brain lesions show signs of growth, surgical intervention may be required to prevent further complications and provide a definitive diagnosis. Always discuss new neurological symptoms or concerns about existing imaging results with your physician.
Further reading
Learn more about neurosurgical procedures and diagnostic standards in our Stroke section.
Source note: This article includes information reported by NJ.
