Health
Tongue cancer warning signs highlighted after ‘Full House’ star’s diagnosis
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On the heels of comedian Dave Coulier’s announcement of his tongue cancer diagnosis, experts are sharing what to know about the disease.
Coulier, 66, announced in a Tuesday interview that he has been diagnosed with early-stage P16 carcinoma, or oropharyngeal tongue cancer.
“Oropharyngeal” refers to cancer that begins at the base of the tongue. The “P16” indicates that it is associated with HPV (human papillomavirus).
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The news comes just months after the “Full House” star announced his battle with an aggressive form of non-Hodgkin Lymphoma. The tongue cancer is “totally unrelated” to that initial cancer, he told “Today” in the interview.
“I went in for a PET scan, just a routine check-up, and something flared on the PET scan,” Coulier said. “It turned out that I have P16 squamous carcinoma at the base of my tongue.”
Dave Coulier, 66, announced in a Tuesday interview that he has been diagnosed with early-stage P16 carcinoma, or oropharyngeal tongue cancer. (Getty Images)
The comedian had announced on April 1 that he was cancer-free following the non-Hodgkin Lymphoma diagnosis.
“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,” he said.
Coulier shared that he will undergo a course of 35 radiation treatments.
What to know about tongue cancer
Tongue cancer can affect the front of the tongue (oral cavity) or the base/back of the tongue (oropharynx), according to the National Cancer Institute. Risk factors and prognosis can differ substantially depending on the location of the cancer.
In 2025, it is expected that there will be about 20,040 new cases of tongue cancer and approximately 3,270 deaths, the NCI states. (These numbers only include cancers that begin in the front two-thirds of the tongue.)
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When including all oral cavity and oropharyngeal cancers — which totals all mouth and throat cancers — the numbers rise to 59,660 new cases and about 12,770 deaths in 2025, per the American Cancer Society.
The overall five-year survival rate for tongue cancer is 71%.
The news comes just months after the “Full House” star, pictured with co-star John Stamos (left), announced his battle with an aggressive form of non-Hodgkin Lymphoma. (Getty Images)
Studies have shown that cases have been on the rise in the U.S. in recent years, affecting almost all age groups and races.
“The rise is linked to the dramatic rise of HPV,” Fox News senior medical analyst Dr. Marc Siegel told Fox News Digital. “It can metastasize, but the prognosis is 80% to 90% curable if it’s HPV-related.”
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George Semeniuk, M.D., a medical oncologist and hematologist at City of Hope in Newport Beach, California, agreed that tongue cancer is one of the fastest-rising head and neck cancers doctors are seeing.
“Early detection is critical,” he told Fox News Digital.
Warning signs and risk factors
Some of the earliest warning signs of tongue cancer include a persistent sore or ulcer on the tongue, pain when swallowing, a lump or changes in speech, according to Semeniuk.
“Anything that lasts longer than two weeks should be evaluated by a specialist,” he advised.
Some of the earliest warning signs of tongue cancer include a persistent sore or ulcer on the tongue, pain when swallowing, a lump in the throat or changes in speech. (iStock)
Siegel added, “Look out for a sore that won’t heal or difficulty swallowing. Show your doctor, ENT or dentist.”
Other common signs include a lump or thickening on the tongue; red or white patches on the tongue or lining of the mouth; persistent tongue, pain in the mouth, jaw or throat; and numbness or burning in the tongue, according to multiple health sources.
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Those affected may also notice difficulty chewing, swallowing or speaking, or unexpected bleeding in the area.
If the cancer has spread, the patient may notice a lump in the neck (from enlarged lymph nodes), ear pain (usually on one side), or stiffness or swelling of the jaw.
The standard treatment for tongue cancer is largely dependent on the stage of the disease and where it is located. (iStock)
The biggest risk factors for tongue cancer are tobacco use, heavy alcohol consumption and HPV, Semeniuk noted.
“We are also seeing increasing cases in younger adults who have never smoked, which underscores the role HPV can play,” he said. “People with long-standing mouth irritation, weakened immune systems or poor oral hygiene may also be at higher risk.”
Treatment and prognosis
The standard treatment for tongue cancer is largely dependent on the stage of the disease and where it is located, according to experts.
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“Treatment depends on the stage and location of the tumor, but often involves a combination of surgery, radiation therapy and, in more advanced cases, chemotherapy or targeted therapies,” Semeniuk said.
“At City of Hope, we also use minimally invasive surgical approaches and precision-guided therapies to preserve speech and swallowing whenever possible.”
Coulier shared that he will undergo a course of 35 radiation treatments. (Getty Images)
Siegel noted that tongue cancer tumors tend to be more responsive to surgical resection, radiation and chemotherapy.
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“Prognosis is significantly better when tongue cancer is diagnosed early. If detected at an early stage, cure rates can be quite high,” Semeniuk told Fox News Digital.
“That’s why it’s so important for people to pay attention to changes in their mouth and seek care promptly. Regular dental visits and HPV vaccination are also important steps in lowering risk.”
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The simple act of noting how fast your heart is beating while you’re at rest may be the key to measuring your overall health.
Resting heart rate is defined by Mayo Clinic as the number of times your heart beats each minute while you’re awake, calm and not moving.
A normal resting heart rate ranges from 60 to 100 beats per minute for adults. A slower resting heart rate means the heart does not have the work as heard to pump blood through the body — something typical of someone who is more fit.
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Athletes who are very fit may have a resting heart rate closer to 40 beats per minute, according to Mayo Clinic.
Your resting heart rate can vary due to a variety of factors, including age, physical activity levels, sleep health, smoking, cardiovascular disease, high cholesterol, diabetes, stress, anxiety, hormones, body type and certain medications.
A normal resting heart rate ranges from 60 to 100 beats per minute for adults, according to medical experts. (iStock)
But a resting heart rate that’s often too high or too low may signal a health issue.
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A high resting heart rate, even if it’s slight, is usually a sign that something else may be going on in the body, such as anemia, an infection or a thyroid problem, according to Cleveland Clinic.
A high resting heart rate, even if it’s slight, is usually a sign that something else may be going on in the body. (iStock)
If your heart rate is regularly above 100 beats per minute, this is a sign to talk with your heart care provider.
The same advice applies if you are not a trained athlete and your resting heart rate is frequently below 60 beats per minute.
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Talk to your doctor if other symptoms such as fainting, dizziness or shortness of breath occur.
How to measure your heart rate
You can check your own heart rate by tracking your pulse on your wrist or neck. The best time of day to measure resting heart rate is first thing in the morning, says Mayo Clinic.
Place your index and middle fingers inside the wrist below the thumb, to feel the radial artery; or, do so on the side of the neck, to feel the carotid artery.
Place your index and middle fingers on the side of the neck, to feel the carotid artery — and count how many beats per minute. (iStock)
Count the number of times your pulse beats in 15 seconds, then multiply this number by four to calculate beats per minute.
Wearable devices can also detect and track resting heart rate, although this may not always be accurate.
How to lower your heart rate
If your resting heart rate is higher than normal, there are a few ways to work toward lowering it.
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Vigorous exercise is “the best way” to lower your resting heart rate and increase the heart’s aerobic capacity and max heart rate, according to Harvard.
For those who don’t exercise regularly, it’s important to work your way up in difficulty when following a new workout routine.
Vigorous exercise is “the best way” to lower your resting heart rate, Harvard Health says. But it’s vital to work your way up carefully. (iStock)
Some medications, such as beta blockers, can also lower heart rate. In the same way, managing stress through holistic methods such as meditation or yoga can also help.
Cleveland Clinic also recommends cutting back on harmful substances such as drugs and alcohol, which can dehydrate you and raise your heart rate.
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Adequate sleep can also help bring your heart rate down, in addition to maintaining a healthy weight.
Cardiologist Tamanna Singh, M.D., shared with Cleveland Clinic that lowering your heart rate takes time as various lifestyle changes kick in.
Managing stress through holistic methods such as meditation or yoga can help lower your resting heart rate,
“Just like building your biceps and triceps, it takes time for your heart to become stronger,” the doctor said.
Singh recommended focusing on heart rate patterns rather than dialing in on just the number.
Take note of how your heart rate changes after eating certain foods, when you’re dehydrated or after you’ve begun a new exercise or stress management routine.
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“If you notice that your heart rate is consistently over 100, mention it to your doctor, especially if you’ve tried making lifestyle changes and they don’t seem to be working,” she said.
“Your resting heart rate isn’t the be-all, end-all of your health, but it’s definitely a marker that you should pay attention to.”
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The health benefits of morning coffee may go beyond a wake-up call, according to a massive new study linking the beverage to a significantly lower risk of severe liver disease, liver cancer and liver-related death.
Published in the journal Clinical Gastroenterology and Hepatology, the research used data from 354,957 participants enrolled in the UK Biobank.
Researchers tracked individuals who had no history of cirrhosis or liver cancer at the start of the study for an average of 13 years, according to a press release.
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Participants who drank one to two cups of coffee daily showed a 20% lower risk of developing cirrhosis and a 31% lower risk of liver-related mortality compared to non-coffee drinkers.
The protective effects became even more noticeable at higher levels of consumption.
Data revealed that heavy coffee drinkers had significantly lower levels of liver fat and liver iron. (iStock)
Individuals who drank five or more cups of coffee per day experienced a 32% reduction in cirrhosis risk, a 42% lower risk of liver-related death and a 47% lower risk of developing hepatocellular carcinoma, the most common form of primary liver cancer.
While previous studies have hinted at coffee’s positive relationship with liver health, this study provides biological evidence to support the statistical trends, the researchers said.
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To better understand why coffee may protect the liver, the researchers conducted additional analyses using imaging data from a subgroup of nearly 29,000 participants and blood samples from approximately 50,000 individuals.
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The data showed that heavy coffee drinkers had significantly lower levels of liver fat and liver iron, as well as lower odds of developing fibroinflammation, which is the scarring and inflammation that often precedes permanent liver damage.
Participants who drank one to two cups of coffee daily showed a 20% lower risk of developing cirrhosis. (iStock)
The blood analysis linked coffee consumption with lower levels of some proteins known to trigger inflammation and tissue scarring, along with higher levels of proteins essential for healthy liver function.
Notably, the study found that the liver-protective benefits were similar for both caffeinated and decaffeinated coffee, suggesting that these benefits are driven by naturally occurring compounds not related to caffeine.
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While the benefits persisted regardless of whether the coffee was consumed black or with sweeteners, the researchers observed that adding sugar or artificial sweeteners slightly weakened the beneficial effects, particularly concerning markers of liver inflammation.
Researchers observed that adding sugar or artificial sweeteners slightly weakened the positive effects. (iStock)
While these findings suggest that coffee consumption is an accessible dietary habit for supporting liver health, the authors noted that it should serve as a complement rather than a replacement for standard preventative health practices.
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Because the research relied on self-reported dietary questionnaires from the UK Biobank, the findings could be susceptible to changes in participants’ coffee-drinking habits over the 13-year follow-up period.
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Additionally, as an observational study, it can only establish a strong correlation and cannot prove cause and effect, as other factors may influence the outcomes.
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