Over the past year, Dave Coulier has been candid about his health challenges. Coulier – who’s best known for his role as Joey Gladstone on Full House and Fuller House – revealed in November 2024 that he’d been diagnosed with Stage 3 non-Hodgkin lymphoma. The beloved actor and comedian has been in remission when it comes to that disease but, unfortunately, Coulier just revealed he’s been diagnosed with another form of cancer. Now, longtime friend and former co-star John Stamos, and a host of fans, are sending him love.
Dave Coulier Opens Up About Being Diagnosed With Cancer Again
Coulier revealed on Tuesday, December 2, that he’d been diagnosed with tongue cancer. While opening up about the diagnosis on Today, the 66-year-old star said the cancer was detected during a PET scan this past October, at which point doctors noticed that a previously discovered growth on his tongue had expanded. After a biopsy was conducted, it was formally deduced that the comedian contracted early stage, P16-positive oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma. Coulier recalled being taken aback by the news:
They said it’s totally unrelated to my non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma. This is a new cancer. ... I said, 'Are you kidding me?’
The American Cancer Society says the P16 protein serves as an indicator for human papillomavirus (or HPV). When it comes to P16-positive cancer, HPV-16 – a sexually transmitted infection, causes it. A silver lining to Dave Coulier’s position as a “positive” patient is that the outlook is much better for those who are in the “negative” category. Coulier – who just shared seven months ago that he was cancer-free – also expressed optimism over his treatment:
We found it early enough where it’s very treatable. ... It’s got a 90% curability rate. The doctor said the prognosis is good, but we're going to start radiation immediately.
On the whole, Coulier is undergoing 35 treatments, per Today, and those will last until the end of this year. Although it’s unfortunate to hear that the Real Ghostbusters icon is contending with yet another cancer battle, it’s comforting that his prognosis looks good. What’s also heartwarming is the array of well wishes he’s been receiving following the announcement.
John Stamos And Fans Reach Out To Dave Coulier Amid His Diagnosis
The casts of Full House and Fuller House (which are available to stream with a Netflix subscription and HBO Max subscription, respectively) have remained close over the years. So it wasn’t surprising to me in the slightest that John Stamos (who played Jesse Katsopolis on both sitcoms) shouted out Dave Coulier following his cancer announcement. Stamos screenshotted an image from Coulier’s Today interview and shared it to his Instagram story. He also shared a two-word caption:
Stamos previously went viral for supporting Coulier after his first cancer diagnosis by donning a bald cap as a way of showing solidarity with his buddy’s newly shaved head. The Grandfathered actor received backlash for the movie, though Coulier swiftly responded, saying that Stamos’ gesture was well-timed and needed. Around that same time, some other former castmates like Candace Cameron Bure and Jodie Sweetin showed love as well as fans. Now, fans are showing love again, and some of the Instagram comments can be seen below:
- Always rooting for you Dave 💙 - tarabpow
- Hanging my head low my friend! I’m praying for you!❤️ You’re loved! - holly393
- We love you! :) - grantfieldgrove2.0
- Praying for a speedy recovery and you being here for a long time, so sorry to hear about the news. - alexnnextdoorr
- Praying for you for a speedy recovery 🙏 ♥️. Your positive attitude is an encouragement to many. - caridolce
- I so admire your strength, resilience, positive attitude and your amazing talent both as an entertainer AND as a painter. Wishing you sunshine, health, longevity and ecommerce success. You got this! ❤️ 🙏🏻 💯 - diamaalia
The love for Dave Coulier – who’s still been attending conventions this year – is real, and he himself hasn’t shied away from the legacy of Full House or its continuation series. Back in 2023, Coulier actually launched the Full House Rewind podcast. It’s incredibly sweet that the fanbase still has as much for Coulier as he has for them. On that note, let’s send Coulier all of the positive vibes as he undergoes this latest round of treatment.