Dave Coulier says he has been diagnosed with a second type of cancer, less than one year after announcing he had completed treatment for Stage 3 non-Hodgkin lymphoma.
The “Full House” actor shared the health update on Tuesday morning, telling NBC News he learned of the new cancer after a PET scan.
“Something flared on the PET scan, and it turned out that I have p16 squamous carcinoma at the base of my tongue,” Coulier said.
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He said doctors told him the new cancer was “totally unrelated” to his previous bout with the disease, and he is currently being treated with radiation.
“I’m currently going through 35 radiation treatments,” he said. “I’ll be done though [on] Dec. 31.”
Coulier added that the prognosis is “very good” for squamous cell carcinoma that is p16-positive.
Chance Yeh/FilmMagic via Getty Images, FILE – PHOTO: In this Sept. 18, 2017, file photo, Dave Coulier attends an event in New York.
Coulier first announced his non-Hodgkin lymphoma diagnosis in a November 2024 episode of his podcast, “Full House Rewind.”
In an interview with People that same week, Coulier shared that he was diagnosed with Stage 3 non-Hodgkin lymphoma after experiencing an upper respiratory infection in October 2024 that caused major and rapid swelling of his lymph nodes, with one growing to the size of a golf ball. He said at the time that he had undergone PET and CT scans, as well as a biopsy, which confirmed his diagnosis.
In a subsequent interview with Parade this past March, Coulier said that his “Full House” cast members had acted as a support system during his treatment and recovery, calling the group “a family.”
Coulier was declared cancer-free in March 2025. In a statement at the time, he thanked his friends and family for “prayers, love and support throughout my emotional roller coaster ride through cancer.”
He also highlighted the importance of early detection, something he reiterated in his interview with NBC News on Tuesday.
What is p16 squamous carcinoma?
Squamous cell carcinoma of the tongue is a type of oropharyngeal cancer, that generally affects the head and neck area. Squamous cell oropharyngeal cancers that are p16-positivite contain HPV DNA and often have a better prognosis, according to the American Cancer Society.
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“Almost all of the cancers in the oral cavity and oropharynx are squamous cell carcinomas, also called squamous cell cancers. These cancers start in squamous cells, which are flat, thin cells that form the lining of the mouth and throat,” according to the organization.
The American Cancer Society counts 59,660 new cases of oral cavity or oropharyngeal cancer each year and 12,770 deaths from the disease each year.
Oropharyngeal cancers generally affect older populations, with 20% occurring in people younger than 55, and the disease is more than twice as common in men than women, according to the American Cancer Society. Risk factors for oropharyngeal cancers include smoking, drinking and HPV infection, which is usually spread through sexual partners.
The five-year survival rate for oropharyngeal tongue cancer is 88% if localized, 70% if regional and 39% if distant.
