Dawson’s Creek star James Van Der Beek revealed in a recent interview that he was diagnosed with colorectal cancer.
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While speaking to PEOPLE, the actor confirmed the news. “I have colorectal cancer. I’ve been privately dealing with this diagnosis and have been taking steps to resolve it, with the support of my incredible family,” he explained. “There’s reason for optimism, and I’m feeling good,”
Although he is currently battling cancer, James Van Der Beek doesn’t seem to allow the illness to slow him down. He is currently set to star in Sidelined: The QB and Me, which is making its debut on Nov. 29 through Tubi.
The actor is also focused on his wife Kimberly Van Der Beek and their six kids Olivia, Joshua, Annabel, Emilia, Gwendolyn, and Jeremiah.
He has not shared any details about his diagnosis.
According to the Mayo Clinic, colorectal cancer, or colon cancer, is a growth of cells that begins in a part of the large intestine called the colon.
“Colon cancer typically affects older adults, though it can happen at any age,” the organization shared. “It usually begins as small clumps of cells called polyps that form inside the colon. Polyps generally aren’t cancerous, but some can turn into colon cancers over time.”
The polyps do not cause symptoms. This is why doctors recommend regular screening tests to look for polyps in the colon.
Among the treatments used for colon cancer are surgery, radiation therapy, and medicines, such as chemotherapy, targeted therapy, and immunotherapy.
However, doctors are still not certain what causes most colon cancers. It is recommended that people start screening for colon cancer at the age of 45.
James Van Der Beek Previously Opened Up About How Fatherhood Has Changed Him
During a 2023 interview with ABC News, James Ver Der Beek opened up about how being a father of his six children has changed him significantly.
“What you genuinely want is to take care of them, to make them feel safe, to keep them safe, to connect with them and feel that joy,” Van Der Beek stated. “Your life becomes shared and your joys become shared joys, and in a really beautiful way, that expands your level of circuitry out to other people instead of just keeping it all for your own gratification.”
The actor then noted, “The lessons. They keep on coming.”
When speaking about his oldest becoming a teenager, James Van Der Beek admitted his bracing for what’s next. “I don’t know that you’re ever fully ready for any parenting stage until it’s actually happening,” he explained.
The actor then added that he and his wife are “try to keep as open a heart and open a mind as possible and … hope for the best.”