Dave Coulier Reveals Cancer Diagnosis. Here Are The Signs.

“Full House” star Dave Coulier recently revealed that he was diagnosed with non-Hodgkin lymphoma, a type of cancer that begins in the lymphatic system. He described the time frame from his diagnosis to receiving treatment as a “roller-coaster ride.”

The 65-year-old actor and comedian, who portrayed Joey Gladstone — aka “Uncle Joey” — on the beloved sitcom “Full House” and later on the revival “Fuller House,” said during an appearance on NBC’s “Today” this week that his symptoms developed “very quickly.” He was diagnosed with Stage 3 non-Hodgkin lymphoma five weeks prior, and he has since undergone three surgeries and one round of chemotherapy. He has what’s called B-cell lymphoma, a common type of non-Hodgkin lymphoma that refers to blood cancer in the lymphatic system.

“It’s a very aggressive type of lymphoma,” he said. The actor explained that he had a lymphoma in his groin area that grew to the size of a “golf ball” within days. He said he was advised to undergo chemotherapy after he had a biopsy on the enlarged lymph node. He later underwent a bone marrow biopsy to determine the stage of lymphoma and learned his cancer had not spread.

“At that point, the curability went up to 90-plus percent, so it’s very treatable,” he said, before adding that he is set to complete chemotherapy in February and that doctors told him he should be in “total remission” by that time.

Coulier later emphasized that “early detection meant everything” for his cancer prognosis. According to the National Cancer Institute, it’s estimated that 80,620 new cases of non-Hodgkin lymphoma have been diagnosed in 2024. This type of cancer represents about 4% of all new cancer cases.

As with most other cancers, detecting non-Hodgkin lymphoma early allows for more treatment options. Read below to learn more about non-Hodgkin lymphoma and the signs and symptoms to look out for:

Non-Hodgkin lymphoma, which has several sub-types, is a genetic disorder that happens when genes inside certain cells mutate or change. The affected cells are either your B cells, which help protect you from infection by making antibodies, or your T cells, which help your immune system fight germs and protect you from disease.

Research suggests that there are several factors that can increase someone’s chances of getting non-Hodgkin lymphoma. It’s important to note, as the American Cancer Society states, that having a risk factor doesn’t mean you will get the disease — and people who get the disease may have few or no known risk factors.

But people in their 60s or older, people with weakened immune systems and people with some autoimmune diseases may have an increased risk of developing non-Hodgkin lymphoma. White people and men are also more likely to develop the condition, the organization states, among other potential risk factors.

According to the Cleveland Clinic, some symptoms of non-Hodgkin lymphoma may include painless swollen lymph nodes in the neck, armpit or groin, and chest pain, belly pain or swelling, cough, trouble breathing, persistent fatigue, unexplained fever, heavy night sweats and unexplained weight loss.

If you suspect you have non-Hodgkin lymphoma, your provider may test your blood for viruses linked to the condition, they may perform imaging tests, a bone marrow test or they may order a lymph node biopsy, among other testing options.

Some of the treatments for non-Hodgkin lymphoma include active surveillance, chemotherapy, radiation therapy, immunotherapy and a bone marrow transplant — if other treatments haven’t helped, according to the Mayo Clinic.

The Mayo Clinic states that you may not need treatment right away if your lymphoma appears to be growing slowly.

Though there are currently no widely recommended routine screening tests for non-Hodgkin lymphoma, being aware of any potential symptoms are important for possible early detection. Always share any concerns you have about your health with your doctor.