Dave Coulier’s Cancer Battle in His Own Words: Diagnosis, More

Since going public with his Stage 3 non-Hodgkin lymphoma diagnosis in November 2024, Dave Coulier has been candid about his illness, treatment and prognosis.

Non-Hodgkin lymphoma is a type of cancer that affects the patient’s lymphatic system, with “white blood cells called lymphocytes [that] grow abnormally and can form growths (tumors) throughout the body,” according to the Mayo Clinic. With his wife Melissa Bring by his side, Coulier has relied on his doctors’ “very specific plan for how they were going to treat” the cancer.

“That was really a conscious decision of, I’m going to meet this head-on, and I want people to know it’s my life,” Coulier explained in a November 2024 episode of his “Full House Rewind” podcast after he revealed his diagnosis. “I’m not going to try and hide anything. I would rather talk about it and open the discussion and inspire people.”

Coulier’s treatment is ongoing, with the plan after his diagnosis being for him to complete chemotherapy in February 2025 and be in “total remission.”

Bring, however, revealed in January 2025 that the treatment is taking its toll on Coulier.

“He has some really tough days, and as the chemo has been accumulating it gets a little tougher and more difficult,” Bring said during an interview with WXYZ published on Thursday, January 23.

She added that on good days, they play a song and have a “dance party with the dogs” to celebrate the positive moments.

Keep scrolling for everything Coulier has said about his cancer battle.

Coping With His Diagnosis

Coulier was first diagnosed in October 2024 after he battled an upper-respiratory infection that resulted in severe swelling of his lymph nodes. When one area swelled to the size of a golf ball, he underwent PET and CT scans and a biopsy, which revealed the cancer.

“I went from, ‘I got a little bit of a head cold,’ to ‘I have cancer,’ and it was pretty overwhelming,” he told People. “This has been a really fast roller coaster ride of a journey.”

Good Days and Bad Days

Coulier expanded on Bring’s comments about the good and bad days, adding that when things are going well, the lifelong hockey fan can even skate.

“Some days are nauseous and dizzy, and then there’s other days where the steroids kick in, and I feel like I have a ton of energy,” he told People. “I actually skated yesterday with some friends here in Detroit. We just went and skated around and shot pucks, and it was wonderful just to be out there doing something that I love and just trying to stay focused on all the great stuff that I have in my life.”

Early Detection

While Coulier continues his own battle, he’s also using his platform to help others understand the importance of early detection.

“There’s a lot to live for. And if that means talking with your doctors or getting a mammogram or a breast exam or a colonoscopy, it can really make a big change in your life,” he said, per People.

He added that since his diagnosis, he has heard from others who have gone for check-ups.

“I have heard from so many people who have been inspired enough by my words and actions to say that they are going to check in with their doctors and get mammograms, a colonoscopy or a prostate exam,” Coulier shared via Instagram in November 2024. “I’m still going to laugh in the face of adversity.”

His Prognosis

Coulier expressed optimism about his recovery after a bone marrow test came back negative shortly after his diagnosis.

“At that point, my chances of curable went from something low to [the] 90 percent range,” he said. “And so that was a great day.”

Telling the Full House Cast

Coulier wanted to make sure his TV family, the cast of Full House, heard the news of his diagnosis from him.

“I didn’t want them to hear it from someone else, so I sent a text message out,” Coulier said. “It was just this outpouring of, ‘I will be there. You just name the time, and I know you’re in great hands with [wife Melissa Bring], but what can we do? It really is overwhelming the love that we have for each other. We’ve been there for so many years for each other, and it’s pretty remarkable.”

John Stamos Wearing a Bald Cap

After learning of his friend’s diagnosis, Stamos paid him a visit while wearing a bald cap in a show of support. He and Coulier posted a photo to Instagram, and while many were supportive, others criticized Stamos for not shaving his head.

“I’m sorry to see a bunch of negative comments as I’ve just begun my cancer journey,” Coulier wrote via Instagram on November 19. “It’s our friendship (me and John) and this is how we are handling a very tough time. I’m a comedian and humor is what drives me. John knows how to cheer me up and I laughed out loud when he arrived wearing a bald cap — being a true loving friend and brother.”

The ‘Constant Fight’

Coulier’s treatment has been a “constant fight,” he said on a January 2025 episode of his “Full House Rewind” podcast.

“The side effects have side effects,” he said. “And then you take a drug to counteract that and this and that. So it’s this constant cocktail where your body is in fight or flight mode and you’re just trying to adjust to, ‘Okay, how am I adjusting to steroids? How am I adjusting to the chemo cocktail?’”

“It’s a little bit of an internal battle,” he added.