Eric Dane’s death has sparked conversations about the speed and severity of ALS.
The progressive disease, also known as Lou Gehrig’s disease, officially called amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, is debilitating and fatal.
Although only about 5,000 people in the U.S. are diagnosed each year, the average life expectancy is only two to five years, according to the ALS Association.
Dane, who mainly played the role of Dr. Mark “McSteamy” Sloan on ABC’s “Grey’s Anatomy,” announced his diagnosis in April 2025, telling “Good Morning America” in June that his first symptoms started as “some weakness” in his right hand.
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“I didn’t really think anything of it,” the actor said. “At the time I thought maybe I was texting too much, or that my hand was tired. But a few weeks later I noticed it got a little worse.”
“I fight as much as I can,” Dane added. “There’s so much I can’t control.”
What is ALS?
ALS is a progressive disease in which the brain loses connection with the muscles, according to the ALS Association. This slowly takes away a person’s ability to walk, talk, eat, dress, write, speak, swallow and ultimately breathe.
Early signs include muscle weakness, stiffness and cramps. The progression and severity of symptoms are different for each case, as the association notes that “there is no single timeline for ALS.”
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The disease only affects the motor neurons that control voluntary movements, so the five senses – sight, touch, hearing, taste and smell – are not affected, nor are the eye muscles or bladder control.
ALS symptoms typically begin with muscle weakness in the upper extremities. (iStock)
Many ALS patients remain “mentally alert and aware” throughout the disease, the ALS Association reported.
It is usually diagnosed in people between the ages of 40 and 70. About 20% of patients live five years or more. Only about 5% live longer than 20 years.
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ALS is typically diagnosed by a neurologist with an electromyographic test (EMG), but can also be detected by blood and urine tests, spinal taps, MRIs and other imaging scans, muscle and nerve biopsies, or neurological exams.
There is currently no cure or treatment to stop disease progression, although there are treatments to slow and relieve symptoms, according to the ALS Association.
ALS can be diagnosed by a neurologist through various forms of testing. (iStock)
Fox News senior medical analyst Dr. Marc Siegel, joined Fox & Friends on Friday to discuss the prevalence of ALS, suggesting that cases have increased due to “something in the environment that we don’t know yet.”
Although ALS is 10% genetic, Siegel says in 90% of cases there is no genetic link, pointing to other risk factors such as environmental toxins.
“We are learning to personalize the approach to this disease.”
“It is a disease of muscle weakness – affecting the nerves that innervate the muscles – and it usually starts on one side,” the doctor said. “Then you develop fatigue… You might see a twitching tongue or your arm shaking, usually on one side and then the other.”
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As the weakness progresses, it affects speech and eventually affects the diaphragm, making it difficult to fully inflate the lungs.
“That’s what happened [Dane]Most likely,” Siegel said. “So it goes from your arms, your legs, your speech, your swallowing ability and then your breathing.”
Rising research
ALS progresses “quite quickly in most cases,” Siegel said. While scientist Stephen Hawking lived with the disease for 55 years, Dane “probably lived with it for about two years,” the doctor surmised.
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‘I want to emphasize how brave [Dane] is – he was actually involved with Target ALS, where he fought for new research,” Siegel emphasized. “We are learning to personalize the approach to this disease, and that is the future – and that is what he fought for.”
Actor Eric Dane is photographed at the St. Regis in Washington, DC on September 30, 2025. “I want to point out how brave [Dane]” said Dr. Marc Siegel. (Marvin Joseph/The Washington Post via Getty Images)
‘For this we need a lot of money for research – [Dane] asked for a billion dollars from the government.”
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Several research groups and hospital systems are actively working on new ALS therapies that use a personalized approach, Siegel says.
The estimated cost of developing a drug that would slow or stop disease progression is $2 billion, the ALS Association has reported. The estimated annual cost for off-duty care is $250,000.
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Funding for ALS research and awareness has been increasing for years, with the viral ALS Ice Bucket Challenge making a big splash on social media in 2014.
The challenge, backed by the ALS Association, aimed to raise awareness. Ultimately, it raised $115 million for ALS research and patient care.
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