Full House Star Battles Tongue Cancer After Overcoming Lymphoma

Dave Coulier has shared that he is now receiving treatment for tongue cancer, just a year after overcoming non-Hodgkin lymphoma. The Full House actor spoke about his latest health challenge during an interview on the TODAY Show.

Dave Coulier Opens Up About Tongue Cancer

During a conversation with TODAY co-anchor Craig Melvin on December 2, Coulier reflected on his previous year of chemotherapy for non-Hodgkin lymphoma. The past year went by so quickly. Its been a real roller coaster, he admitted.

In April 2025, Coulier announced that he had successfully completed treatment and was cancer-free. However, a recent follow-up scan detected a new, unrelated tumor on his tongue. After going through chemotherapy and feeling the relief of being cancer-free, learning about a new cancer is a real shock, Coulier explained. A couple of months ago, a PET scan showed something unusual at the base of my tongue.

Describing the symptoms, Coulier said, The pain was constant, like biting your tongue, but it never went away. Initially, a biopsy did not show any signs of cancer, but a subsequent scan revealed that the lesion had grown rapidly. Another biopsy confirmed early-stage, P16-positive oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma.

Reflecting on the diagnosis, Coulier recalled, They told me this is completely separate from my lymphoma. I thought, Are you serious?

Despite the shock, Coulier expressed optimism. The cancer was caught early, which makes it highly treatable. It has about a 90% cure rate. My doctor said the outlook is good, and we will begin radiation treatment immediately.

Coulier is set to undergo 35 radiation sessions, scheduled Monday through Friday for the remainder of the year.

Author: Gavin Porter