James Van Der Beek is speaking out about his colorectal cancer diagnosis and the early, seemingly innocuous symptom that ultimately prompted him to seek medical attention.
“It was just a change in bowel habits,” the Dawson’s Creek star told People in an interview released today, recalling the symptom he started experiencing last year. Van Der Beek, 47, concluded that a change in diet was in order. “Maybe I need to stop coffee,” he recalled thinking at the time. “Maybe I need to not put cream in the coffee.”
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When those changes didn’t make the symptoms improve, Van Der Beek knew it was time to go to the doctor. Still, he wasn’t worried when he came out of his colonoscopy in August 2023. “I felt really, really good as I was coming out of anesthesia that I had finally done it and looked into it,” he remembered. But as he was “coming out of the haze,” Van Der Beek’s doctor told him he had cancer.
“I think I went into shock,” Van Der Beek said. “There was a part of me that felt like maybe I wanted to break down and fall apart, but then a more logical part came in and said well, you just don’t have the information yet. You don’t know what this is.”
Van Der Beek was ultimately diagnosed with Stage 3 colorectal cancer, which the American Cancer Society defines as cancer that starts in the colon or the rectum. In Van Der Beek’s case, the cancer “was still localized,” he said. “It had not spread, but it was Stage 3, which is not what you want to hear.”
According to the CDC, Van Der Beek’s first symptom — a change in bowel habits — is a common one to experience, along with blood in or on your stool, diarrhea, constipation, persistent abdominal pain, and unexplained weight loss. Because colorectal cancer doesn’t always cause symptoms at first, getting regular screenings (such as a colonoscopy) is important for early detection. The US Preventive Services Task Force recommends that all adults from ages 45 to 75 be screened for colorectal cancer.
Van Der Beek, just 46 at the time of the diagnosis, was especially surprised because of his healthy lifestyle. “I was in amazing cardiovascular shape,” he said. “I tried to eat healthy as much as I could, as far as I knew at the time, though I’ve since learned a lot about what actually eating healthy is.”
Van Der Beek declined to speak about the specifics of his treatment, but described having cancer as a “full-time job” and said he’s looked into a variety of options. “I venture to say if you’ve heard of it, I’ve probably touched upon it,” he said. “When I’ve been out of the woods completely for what feels like a responsible amount of time, I’ll circle back and let you know what I think worked.”
Van Der Beek says he’s feeling “great” and “cautiously optimistic” right now, but that doesn’t mean it’s been an easy road. He described feeling like a “sobbing, terrified mess” for “10 percent of the time,” but noted that he never felt as though “this was gonna end me.” Instead, he saw it as “the biggest life redirect.”
“I’m gonna make changes that I never would’ve made otherwise, that I’m gonna look back on in… and say thank god that happened,” Van Der Beek explained. “This is either going to take me out of the body or teach me how to truly live in it.”
The father of six also has his family as a support system. “I’ve really been so blessed with my wife and my kids,” Van Der Beek said. “It’s a lot to live for, and it’s a beautiful life.”
Before you go, read about these celebs who’ve spoken up about their chronic health issues:
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