Full House alum Dave Coulier has been diagnosed with a new type of cancer months after beating lymphoma.
“To go through chemotherapy and feel that relief of, ‘Whoa, it’s gone.’ And then to get a test that says, ‘Well now you’ve got another kind of cancer,’” the 66-year-old actor said during a Tuesday, December 2 episode of the Today show. “It is a shock to the system.”
Coulier shared on the talk show that he was diagnosed with HPV-related oropharyngeal tongue cancer in October.
“It was a really tough year, chemotherapy was grueling,” the actor continued. “A couple of months ago, I had a PET scan, and something flared on the scan. The doctor said, ‘We don’t know what it is, but there’s something at the base of your tongue.’”
Dave Coulier’s Cancer Battle in His Own Words: From His Diagnosis to Now
Keep scrolling for everything to know about Coulier’s cancer diagnosis:
What Type of Cancer Does Dave Coulier Have?
Coulier was diagnosed with oropharyngeal tongue cancer — otherwise known as early stage P16 carcinoma — following a biopsy earlier this year.
“It was very painful. It’s like if you bit your tongue, but the pain just lasted every single day,” the actor shared. “They said it’s totally unrelated to my non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma. This is a new cancer.”
Coulier announced in November 2024 that he had been diagnosed with stage III non-Hodgkin lymphoma. After several rounds of chemotherapy, Coulier announced in March that he was cancer free.
What Is Oropharyngeal Tongue Cancer?
The illness “forms in your oropharynx, the middle section of your throat,” according to an article by the Cleveland Clinic. While the cancer is treatable, it “can come back.”
The Cleveland Clinic revealed that this is considered a rare type of cancer and the American Cancer Society estimates that it only impacts 53,000 people a year. However, there are several types. Tonsil cancer is the most common, but it can also develop in the gums, the floor of the mouth and the oropharynx (middle part of the throat).
Coulier’s specific type of cancer impacts the P16 protein, a marker for human papillomavirus (HPV), which is a sexually transmitted infection that can become cancer if going untreated.
Is Dave Coulier Undergoing Treatment for Cancer?
During his Today appearance on Tuesday, Coulier confirmed that he will be undergoing 35 radiation treatments through the end of the year. The actor’s “prognosis is good,” according to his medical team.
Dave Coulier Group Texted ‘Full House’ Costars About His Cancer Diagnosis
“It’s a whole different animal than chemo. It doesn’t feel as aggressive, but there are still side effects,” he said.
What Has Dave Coulier Said About His Cancer Diagnosis?
Coulier has spoken candidly about the struggles he’s endured since being diagnosed with cancer. During Tuesday’s interview, Coulier shared how his continued illnesses have been impacting his mental health.
“It’s emotional. It’s psychologically draining,” Coulier explained, noting that it also has impacted his wife, Melissa Bring. “I’m going to get on the other side of this. The silver lining here is that I had cancer, which helped me detect my other cancer. It seems crazy to be making that statement, but it’s true.”
