Masina, who shot to prominence in Fellini's 1954 classic "La Strada," had been undergoing chemotherapy treatment in Rome's Columbus hospital.
Professor Paolo Pola said Masina died after a cancer which had begun in her lungs spread to her brain. He said Masina, whose health began failing after her husband died, did not know how ill she was.
"She said 'don't tell me what I've got' and despite her treatment was convinced it was not too serious," he said.
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