Dave Coulier Diagnosed With Second Cancer in 7 Months
Nostalgic 90s fans will remember Dave Coulier as Uncle Joey on the sitcom “Full House,” but today he’s an advocate for wellness, especially after sharing that he was recently diagnosed with oropharynx cancer.
Coulier told the “Today Show” that he learned of his diagnosis just seven months after completing treatment for non-Hodgkin lymphoma. A routine scan discovered something unusual at the base of his tongue. After a biopsy doctors determined he had tongue-base cancer, which is a form of oropharynx cancer that impacts the lining of the throat, the tonsils and base of the tongue. He says his two cancer diagnoses are unrelated.
“Many people do not experience symptoms early on,” said Deepa Danan, MD, vice chair of the Head and Neck-Endocrine Department at Moffitt Cancer Center. “But when they do, those symptoms can be persistent pain on one side of the throat or ear, trouble swallowing, change in speech or lumps in the neck.”
Those symptoms should prompt a visit to a health care provider, she says.
HPV and Oropharynx Cancer
Coulier revealed that his oropharynx cancer is HPV-related. The human papillomavirus is sexually transmitted, and while its very common in adults it can lead to cancers in the throat or cervical cancer, Danan says.
“HPV-related oropharynx cancer is a squamous cell carcinoma caused by the virus,” Danan said, adding that 60% to 70% of oropharyngeal cancers are HPV-related.
Oropharynx cancers that are not related to the virus can sometimes be caused by smoking. When it is HPV-related, the cancer typically responds better to treatment.
Fortunately for Coulier, the cancer was found early. He is currently undergoing radiation therapy and his doctors are optimistic that his treatment will be successful, he says.
Oropharynx Cancer Treatments and Outcomes
Radiation is a common treatment for this kind of cancer, Danan says, adding that surgery, chemotherapy or a combination of the treatments are also options, depending on the diagnosis.
“Any cancer treatment will have some side effects, but new techniques and technology have made the treatment tolerable and yields excellent outcomes,” Danan said.
For Coulier, this treatment has been less aggressive than his treatment for lymphoma. He says he still has some pain where the biopsy removed some tissue from his tongue and that he sometimes suffers from “radiation brain” and nausea.
The experience with both diagnoses has made Coulier more aware of how he approaches health, sharing that he pays closer attention to the ingredients in products he uses and foods he consumes. His hope is others will do the same and take steps to remain healthy for longer.
“Oropharynx cancer is certainly a curable type of cancer in the majority of patients,” Danan said. “While the highest incidence of HPV-related oropharynx cancer is in white men, it can occur in any individual.”
Danan recommends the HPV vaccine to protect against HPV and the cancers it can cause. The vaccine is recommended for adolescents as young as 9 and is approved for adults up to 45 years of age.
Coulier is expected to complete treatment at the end of 2025, and he’s optimistic about his future.
“My joke is, I’m doing really well for a guy with cancer,” Coulier quipped on the television show.
