A little over a year after being diagnosed with non-Hodgkin lymphoma, Dave Coulier announced exclusively on the "TODAY" show that he is undergoing treatment for an unrelated tongue cancer.
The actor, who played Uncle Joey on “Full House,” joined "TODAY" on Tuesday to share an update on his health and discuss the launch of his new wellness endeavor.
Coulier, 66, was diagnosed with HPV-related oropharyngeal tongue cancer in October, he told TODAY.com in a phone interview.
Just seven months before, Coulier had shared that he was cancer-free thanks to chemotherapy. He had previously revealed his Stage 3 non-Hodgkin lymphoma diagnosis in November 2024 on "TODAY."
“To go through chemotherapy and feel that relief of 'Whoah, 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,” Coulier said.
The actor was diagnosed with his first cancer after noticing a golf ball-sized enlarged lymph node in his groin, which a biopsy revealed to be non-Hodgkin lymphoma.
However, he had no symptoms or signs before his second cancer diagnosis — until a chance discovery during a follow-up scan.
“It was a really tough year, chemotherapy was grueling,” says Coulier. In March, he learned he had no signs of non-Hodgkin lymphoma but continued getting PET scans every few months.
“A couple of months ago, I had a PET scan, and something flared on the scan,” Coulier recalls. “The doctor said, ‘We don’t know what it is, but there’s something at the base of your tongue.’”
Coulier’s doctor performed a biopsy. “It was very painful. It’s like if you bit your tongue, but the pain just lasted every single day,” the actor says.
The initial biopsy didn’t show any signs of cancer. “We thought, ‘This is great. We’re still not sure what it is, but there aren’t any cancer cells,’” he said.
However, at his next scheduled PET scan in October, doctors noticed the growth on his tongue had flared again and was larger.
Concerned, Coulier went to an ear, nose and throat oncologist for more testing. After a CT scan and an MRI, doctors performed another biopsy — this time, removing a larger piece of his tongue.
Shortly after, the biopsy results came back positive for cancerous cells. Coulier was diagnosed with early-stage P16 carcinoma, or oropharyngeal tongue cancer.
“They said it’s totally unrelated to my non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma. This is a new cancer. ... I said, ‘Are you kidding me?’” Coulier recalled.
P16 is a protein that’s a marker for HPV, or human papillomavirus. A P16-positive cancer is caused by infection with HPV-16, a type of high-risk HPV, per the American Cancer Society.
“They said it could stem from having an HPV virus up to 30 years ago. A lot of people carry the HPV virus, but they said mine activated and turned into a carcinoma,” Coulier says.
HPV-16 is transmitted sexually, and long-lasting infection can cause changes in the cells that can become cancer, per the National Cancer Institute.
Fortunately, P16-positive oropharyngeal cancers often have a better outcome than P16-negative ones, according to the American Cancer Society.
“We found it early enough where it’s very treatable. ... It’s got a 90% curability rate,” said Coulier. “The doctor said the prognosis is good, but we’re going to start radiation immediately.”
Radiation treatment
Coulier is currently undergoing radiation therapy — 35 treatments in total, Monday through Friday, which will last through the end of the year.
“It’s a whole different animal than chemo. It doesn’t feel as aggressive, but there are still side effects,” said Coulier.
These include nausea, “radiation brain,” and pain on the left side of his face and tongue, where the tissue was removed for the biopsy. “That’s not 100% healed yet,” said Coulier.
Surgery on the base of the tongue can impact talking, but Coulier sounded like his usual, jovial self on the phone. “My joke usually is ... I’m doing really well for a guy with cancer,” he said.
After radiation, doctors expect the cancer to be cured. Coulier’s last treatment is on Dec. 31. “I get to start the new year saying, I finished radiation yesterday! It’s kind of serendipitous,” he quipped.
Coulier said the experience of being diagnosed with two cancers in one year has taken a toll. “It’s emotional. It’s psychologically draining. It’s also a big drain to my wife, Melissa, which is the biggest drain on me, seeing how this affects her,” he said.
However, Coulier remains “cautiously optimistic. I’m going to get on the other side of this,” he said.
“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,” said Coulier.
A new approach to wellness
Coulier said his journey with cancer has transformed how he approaches his health.
These days, he focuses on moving his body every day. He eats healthier and uses a sauna and infrared light. “I’ve started really give my body a chance,” Coulier said.
He also thinks a lot more about what he puts in and on his body.
“There was a huge discovery period for me during chemotherapy, I had a lot of time where I was just lying in bed. ... I became very curious and aware of my surroundings,” said Coulier, adding that he began learning about the ingredients in everything he used, from food to toothpaste, lotion and more.
This culminated in what Coulier calls a “light-bulb moment,” which led to the founding of AwearMarket, “a digital marketplace for toxin-free wellness products,” according to the press release.
“I’ve taken a whole new approach to life, where I’m very — I don’t want to keep going back to this word — but aware now,” said Coulier.
AwearMarket will launch on Giving Tuesday, Dec. 2, in partnership with the V Foundation for Cancer Research in support of the Hockey Fights Cancer initiative.
Coulier, who is an ambassador for the V Foundation and a lifelong hockey fan, says he hopes Awear’s purchase roundup program will help contribute to cancer research.
Advocacy and raising awareness
“I never wanted to be the poster boy for cancer, but I’m happy to do it,” said Coulier.
The hardest diagnoses of his life have inspired Coulier to help others by advocating for people to get more cancer screenings and be aware of changes in their bodies.
“How the heck can I not take this moment to use my voice to say to people, ‘Hey, early detection saved my life, and now early detection saved my life again,’” said Coulier.