‘Full House’ Star Dave Coulier Reveals New Diagnosis After Beating Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma

Just months after celebrating a major health milestone, the beloved sitcom star found himself back in a doctor's office — facing a discovery no one expected.

Dave Coulier, best known as Uncle Joey on "Full House," is facing a new health crisis just months after being declared cancer-free.

In a candid interview on "Today" on December 2, 2025, the 66-year-old actor opened up about what happened after his recovery from Stage 3 non-Hodgkin lymphoma, including a routine scan that revealed something deeply concerning.

Dave Coulier sits down with TODAY co-anchor Craig Melvin to discuss his latest health update, as posted on December 2, 2025 | Source: YouTube/TODAY

Coulier's health journey began in November 2024 with what he believed was a simple upper respiratory infection. But when his lymph nodes swelled — one growing to the size of a golf ball — doctors ordered scans and a biopsy.

"Three days later, my doctors called me back and they said, 'We wish we had better news for you, but you have non-Hodgkin's lymphoma and it's called B cell and it's very aggressive,'" he recalled.

He began chemotherapy right away and later shared his diagnosis on his podcast, "Full House Rewind." Supported by his wife, Melissa Bring, along with family and close friends, Coulier remained hopeful.

Drawing strength from relatives who had also fought cancer, he remained determined to beat it. By March 2025, treatment was complete, and he was told he was cancer-free.

Coulier's longtime friend and "Full House" co-star, Candace Cameron Bure, celebrated the news with fans on Instagram. She wrote: "DAVE IS CANCER FREE!!!! Join me in celebrating this AMAZING news — let's shower him with all the love in the world! ❤️❤️❤️"

Dave Coulier and Candace Cameron Bure share a light moment outdoors, as posted in March 2025. Source: Instagram/candacecbure

Bure's post included several photos of herself, Coulier, and his wife — among them, snapshots from an outdoor trip, what appeared to be a daytime stroll and dining, and a scene from their iconic TV show.

In October, Coulier was back in a medical exam room. A routine PET scan revealed something abnormal near the base of his tongue. He had no symptoms.

Dave Coulier leaves the "AOL Build" taping in New York City on September 18, 2017 | Source: Getty Images

A first biopsy came back negative, but when a follow-up scan showed the area had grown, doctors ordered a second, more invasive biopsy.

This time, the results were clear: early-stage P16-positive oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma, a type of tongue cancer linked to human papillomavirus (HPV).

"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.

Dave Coulier speaks with Craig Melvin about the emotional impact of facing a second cancer diagnosis within a year, as posted on December 2, 2025 | Source: YouTube/TODAY

Doctors confirmed that the second cancer had no connection to his lymphoma. It was identified only because Coulier kept up with his recommended follow-up scans.

Had he skipped that PET scan, the carcinoma likely would have gone unnoticed and could have progressed significantly, putting his health at serious risk.

Craig Melvin and Dave Coulier share a light exchange during their in-depth conversation on "Today," as posted on December 2, 2025 | Source: YouTube/TODAY

According to the American Cancer Society, P16-positive oropharyngeal cancers linked to HPV-16 typically respond well to treatment and have high survival rates. "We found it early enough where it's very treatable. ... It's got a 90% curability rate," Coulier explained.

In a candid moment, Dave Coulier reflects on the physical and mental toll of ongoing cancer treatment, as posted on December 2, 2025 | Source: YouTube/TODAY

Coulier is now undergoing radiation therapy — 35 sessions total, five days a week — scheduled through the end of December. "It's a whole different animal than chemo. It doesn't feel as aggressive, but there are still side effects," he said of the process.

He has experienced side effects such as nausea, brain fog, and pain on the left side of his face and tongue, where doctors removed tissue during the biopsy. Despite the challenges, he's maintained a sense of humor throughout his treatment.

His final radiation session is set for December 31. "I get to start the new year saying, I finished radiation yesterday! It's kind of serendipitous," he said.

But this second diagnosis has brought more than physical strain. Coulier said the emotional toll, especially on his wife Melissa, has been the most difficult part.

Dave Coulier speaks passionately during his live appearance on "Today," sharing insights from his ongoing health journey, as posted on December 3, 2025 | Source: YouTube/TODAY

One bright spot during this difficult time has been the arrival of Coulier's grandson, Chance, born in March. The baby has brought renewed joy and energy to the family.

In hindsight, Coulier believes his original cancer diagnosis may have saved him from something worse. "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," he reflected.

Since his diagnosis, Coulier has completely changed how he approaches health. He now exercises daily, eats clean, and uses wellness tools like sauna and infrared therapy. "I've started to really give my body a chance," he said.

During chemotherapy, he began looking into the ingredients in everyday products — from food to toothpaste. That curiosity eventually led him to create AwearMarket, a digital marketplace for toxin-free wellness goods.

Launching December 2 on Giving Tuesday, AwearMarket is partnering with the V Foundation for Cancer Research and Hockey Fights Cancer, a cause close to Coulier's heart as both a hockey ambassador and lifelong fan.

"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," he stated.

Dave Coulier appears in "Battle of the Network Stars" in June 2017 | Source: Getty Images

As he nears the end of his second round of treatment, Coulier is encouraging others to stay on top of their health. "Take great care of yourself, because there's a lot to live for," he shared. "And if that means talking with your doctors or getting a mammogram or a colonoscopy, it can really make a big change in your life."

With radiation nearly behind him and a new year ahead, Coulier is focused on recovery and grateful for the chance to move forward. Like him, another public figure is sharing her own battle with a life‑threatening diagnosis.

John F. Kennedy's granddaughter revealed on Saturday, November 22, that she was diagnosed with terminal cancer in May 2024. She explained how she and her family have been coping with the news since then.

Tatiana Schlossberg waits to greet Prince William, Prince of Wales during his visit to John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum on December 2, 2022 in Boston, Massachusetts | Source: Getty Images

Tatiana Schlossberg shared that the disease was discovered shortly after she welcomed her second child. She recounted that her daughter was born on May 25, 2024, at 7:05 a.m., just minutes after she reached Columbia-Presbyterian Hospital in New York.

She and her husband, George Moran, spent those first moments holding their newborn, taking in her arrival and the sense of newness she brought. A few hours went by before her doctor detected an unusual imbalance in her white blood cell count.

Tatiana Schlossberg attends Intelligencer Live: Our Warmer Future presented by New York Magazine and Brookfield Place on September 5, 2019 in New York City | Source: Getty Images

The doctor informed Schlossberg that her bloodwork showed troubling results. While a typical white blood cell count ranges from about 4 to 11,000 cells per microliter, hers had risen to an alarming 130,000, prompting immediate concern.

Moran, who was working as a urology resident at the time, reached out to friends in primary care and obstetrics for guidance. Most believed the situation was likely connected to the pregnancy or the delivery.

Tatiana Schlossberg attends her book signing at the In goop Health Summit San Francisco at Craneway Pavilion on November 16, 2019 in Richmond, California | Source: Getty Images

Her doctor agreed with the assessment of Moran's friends, but also noted that leukemia was a possibility. Schlossberg dismissed the concern at the time, telling Moran, "It's not leukemia," and wondering, "What are they talking about?"

As everything was going on, Schlossberg's parents, Caroline Kennedy and Edwin Schlossberg, had brought her two-year-old son to the hospital so he could meet his newborn sister. However, plans shifted quickly as she was moved to a different floor.

Tatiana Schlossberg, Caroline Kennedy, and Edwin Schlossberg arrive at the Kennedy Library Foundation's 23rd Annual May Dinner on May 22, 2011 | Source: Getty Images

Her daughter was taken to the nursery, and her son resisted leaving, wanting to pretend he was steering her hospital bed like a bus. She parted ways with him and her parents before being taken away for further evaluation.

Schlossberg was eventually given a diagnosis, which her medical team identified as "acute myeloid leukemia, with a rare mutation called Inversion 3."

She noted that her form of cancer was typically found in much older patients. Many of the specialists who evaluated her questioned whether she had spent significant time at Ground Zero because blood cancers are frequently reported among first responders.

Although she had been in New York on September 11 while in sixth grade, she did not visit the area until long after the attacks. She also emphasized that she was far from the age group usually associated with the diagnosis, having only recently turned 34.

"I did not — could not — believe that they were talking about me. I had swum a mile in the pool the day before, nine months pregnant. I wasn't sick. I didn't feel sick. I was actually one of the healthiest people I knew," she recalled.

Schlossberg found it impossible to accept the diagnosis. An active lifestyle had been central to her life as she regularly ran five to ten miles in Central Park. She once swam three miles across the Hudson River to raise funds for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society.

Tatiana Schlossberg attends Intelligencer Live: Our Warmer Future presented by New York Magazine and Brookfield Place on September 5, 2019 in New York City | Source: Getty Images

Additionally, as an environmental journalist, she even skied the Birkebeiner, a grueling 50km cross-country race in Wisconsin that took over seven hours.

"I loved to have people over for dinner and to make cakes for my friends' birthdays. I went to museums and plays and got to jump in a cranberry bog for my job. I had a son whom I loved more than anything and a newborn I needed to take care of. This could not possibly be my life," she said.

Tatiana Schlossberg attends a memorial service in Runnymede, Surrey on November 22, 2013, to mark the 50th anniversary of former US President John F Kennedy's assassination | Source: Getty Images

After diagnosis, Schlossberg embarked on a grueling treatment. "I could not be cured by a standard course of treatment. I would need a few months, at least, of chemotherapy, which would aim to reduce the number of blast cells in my bone marrow. (Blast cells are immature blood cells; a high count can be a sign of leukemia)," she shared.

Schlossberg added, "Then I would need a bone-marrow transplant, which could cure me. After the transplant, I would probably need more chemotherapy, on a regular basis, to try to prevent the cancer from returning."

Tatiana Schlossberg attends her book signing at the In goop Health Summit San Francisco at Craneway Pavilion on November 16, 2019 in Richmond, California | Source: Getty Images

The mom of two spent five weeks at Columbia-Presbyterian Hospital following the birth of her daughter before being moved to Memorial Sloan Kettering for further treatment. Over the course of her illness, she underwent two bone marrow transplants.

For the first one, her sister was a compatible donor and provided the stem cells. After returning home, she continued chemotherapy but eventually experienced a relapse.

Tatiana Schlossberg attends American Ballet Theatre's annual Spring Gala and 70th anniversary season opener at the Metropolitan Opera House on May 17, 2010 | Source: Getty Images

By January 2025, she enrolled in a clinical trial for CAR-T cell therapy, a type of immunotherapy that targets certain blood cancers. For the second transplant, an unrelated donor was chosen, with the rationale that cells genetically distinct from hers and her sister's might better combat the cancer.

Tatiana Schlossberg attends Intelligencer Live: Our Warmer Future presented by New York Magazine and Brookfield Place on September 5, 2019 in New York City | Source: Getty Images

The donor was a man in his 20s from the Pacific Northwest. Though she knew little else about him, Schlossberg imagined him perhaps as a Portland woodcutter or a Seattle tech worker, and wished she could express her gratitude.