Dave Coulier Faces New Battle with Tongue Cancer After Lymphoma

Dave Coulier, the actor best known for his role on *Full House*, has announced that he is undergoing treatment for tongue cancer. This diagnosis comes less than a year after he successfully overcame non-Hodgkin lymphoma. Coulier, aged 66, shared this significant health update during an interview on the *Today* show on December 2, 2023.

Coulier revealed that he was diagnosed with HPV-related oropharyngeal tongue cancer in October, following a routine follow-up scan. “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’… it is a shock to the system,” he explained, highlighting the emotional toll of receiving such news.

Prior to his diagnosis, Coulier had not exhibited any symptoms. His medical team discovered the cancer during a PET scan. “There’s something at the base of your tongue,” his doctor informed him, prompting further investigation. The actor described the pain as persistent, akin to biting one’s tongue but lasting daily.

He expressed disbelief at the new diagnosis, stating, “I went from, I got a little bit of a head cold to I have cancer, and it was pretty overwhelming.” Coulier characterized his cancer as “very aggressive,” but was relieved to learn that it had not spread to his bone marrow. He noted that early detection significantly improved his prognosis, raising his chances of a cure to around 90 percent.

Coulier took a moment to share how he informed his *Full House* co-stars about his situation. “I didn’t want them to hear it from someone else, so I sent a text message out. It was just this outpouring of, ‘I will be there. You just name the time,’” he recalled, expressing gratitude for the support from his long-time friends.

Earlier in the year, Coulier celebrated being cancer-free after his battle with lymphoma. He now faces the challenges of early-stage P16 carcinoma, also known as oropharyngeal tongue cancer. According to the American Cancer Society, P16 is a protein that serves as a marker for human papillomavirus (HPV). Specifically, P16-positive cancers are linked to infections caused by HPV-16, a high-risk strain.

“They said it could stem from having an HPV virus up to 30 years ago,” Coulier explained. “A lot of people carry the HPV virus, but they said mine activated and turned into a carcinoma.” He emphasized the importance of early detection, noting, “We found it early enough where it’s very treatable. It’s got a 90 percent curability rate.”

Currently, he is undergoing radiation therapy, which comprises 35 total treatments, five days a week, until the end of the year. Coulier described the experience as “a whole different animal than chemo,” acknowledging that while it feels less aggressive, it still has side effects, including nausea and pain on the left side of his face and tongue.

Reflecting on the emotional impact of his health challenges, Coulier stated, “It’s emotional. It’s psychologically draining.” He acknowledged the strain it has placed on his wife, Melissa, saying, “It’s the biggest drain on me, seeing how this affects her.” Despite the hardships, he remains “cautiously optimistic” about his recovery.

Coulier concluded with a note of gratitude for the medical care he has received, stating, “Had I not gone in and listened to my doctors and made sure that I got that PET scan to follow up, we would have never found this carcinoma.” His proactive approach to health may have been life-saving, highlighting the critical importance of regular medical check-ups and screenings.