Today
American actor James Van Der Beek has been diagnosed with colorectal cancer.
The former star of the popular television series Dawson’s Creek47, shared his diagnosis in a statement on November 3.
“I have colorectal cancer. “I have been privately dealing with this diagnosis and have been taking steps to resolve it, with the support of my incredible family,” he said. “There are reasons for optimism and I feel good.”
Colorectal cancer usually begins with the growth of small masses, called polyps, in the colon or rectum, according to the American Cancer Society. Colon and rectal cancer tend to be grouped together because they share similar symptoms.
Hours after announcing her diagnosis, Van Der Beek shared in an Instagram post that she planned to do an in-depth interview to raise awareness and tell her story on her own terms.
“But that plan had to be altered early this morning when I was informed that a tabloid was going to publish the story,” he wrote.
“I have been dealing with this privately until now, receiving treatment and taking care of my overall health more emphatically than ever,” he continued. “I’m in a good moment and I feel strong. I will tell you more when I am ready.”
He then apologized to the people in his close circle to whom he would have wanted to say it personally.
“I apologize to everyone in my life that I had planned to tell. None of this process has occurred on the timeline I preferred. But we deal with it, taking each surprise as a sign, heading towards a greater destiny than we would have discovered if we had not had divine intervention,” he said.
Van Der Beek and his family “deeply appreciate all the love and support,” he said, adding that there will be “more to come.”
Van Der Beek has been married to Kimberly Van Der Beek since 2010. They share six children: Olivia, Joshua, Annabel, Emilia, Gwendolyn and Jeremiah.
After experts lowered the recommended age to start colorectal cancer screening to 45, there was a small but significant increase in screening among younger people, according to a study published in the journal JAMA Network Open. .
The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force, which previously recommended starting testing at age 50, changed its guidelines in 2021.
Colorectal cancer cases have increased in people under 50 years of age in the last two decades. The Working Group is not the first to have suggested lowering the testing age. In 2018, the American Cancer Society also recommended starting screening at age 45.
About 11% of colorectal cancer cases are diagnosed in people under age 50—about 20,000 people, according to the American Cancer Society.
“Early-onset colorectal cancer is a big problem. If screening is not done in time, these cancers will be detected at an advanced stage,” said Dr. Christopher Lieu, co-director of gastrointestinal medical oncology at the University of Colorado School of Medicine.
