Full House star Dave Coulier diagnosed with tongue cancer after beating lymphoma

Dave Coulier, who beat lymphoma, reveals he now faces tongue cancer but remains optimistic about treatment

Dave Coulier, the “Full House” and “Fuller House” actor, has been diagnosed with tongue cancer, months after overcoming non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma.

Coulier, 66, shared the news during an appearance on NBC’s “Today” show, describing the diagnosis as a “shock to the system.”

Coulier clarified that the tongue cancer is unrelated to his previous lymphoma, calling it a “new cancer.” He added, “I said, ‘Are you kidding me?’” The actor revealed that doctors believe the cancer may be linked to an HPV virus he was exposed to decades ago, which may have later developed into carcinoma.

Despite the news, Coulier emphasized that his tongue cancer is “very treatable” with a “90 percent curability rate.” He said his doctors are beginning radiation treatment immediately and that the prognosis is positive. He also noted that the experience is “a whole different animal” compared to the chemotherapy he underwent for lymphoma last year, though side effects remain.

Coulier previously announced his stage 3 lymphoma diagnosis on the “Today” show in November 2024 and was declared cancer-free earlier this year. He shared that remission news came on the same day he became a grandfather. Six months later, a PET scan revealed the new tongue cancer.

Reflecting on the situation, Coulier said the experience has been emotionally and psychologically draining for both him and his wife, Melissa Bring. However, he remains “cautiously optimistic” and intends to use his story to promote early cancer detection.

Coulier, who calls himself the “poster boy for cancer,” emphasized the importance of early detection, saying it saved his life twice. He remains determined to “get to the other side” of this latest diagnosis.