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"I’ve been privately dealing with this diagnosis and have been taking steps to resolve it, with the support of my incredible family."
James Van Der Beek has been diagnosed with colorectal cancer.
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The 47-year-old actor is known for his role as Dawson Leery in the '90s teen drama series Dawson's Creek.
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He also portrayed a fictionalized version of himself in Don't Trust the B**** in Apartment 23.
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And he's also known for millennial cult classics like Varsity Blues (1999) and The Rules of Attraction (2002).
Paramount / ©Paramount/Courtesy Everett Collection, Lions Gate / ©Lions Gate/Courtesy Everett Collection
James shared his diagnosis with People. "I have colorectal cancer," he said. "I've been privately dealing with this diagnosis and have been taking steps to resolve it, with the support of my incredible family."
Bruce Glikas / Bruce Glikas / FilmMagic
"There's reason for optimism, and I'm feeling good," James told People.
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James and his wife Kimberly Van Der Beek have six children: Olivia, Joshua, Annabel, Emilia, Gwendolyn, and Jeremiah.
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Here's James and his family on Halloween:
Here's James during a family vacation to Egypt back in June:
According to the American Cancer Society, colorectal cancer begins in the colon or the rectum. "These cancers can also be called colon cancer or rectal cancer, depending on where they start. Colon cancer and rectal cancer are often grouped together because they have many features in common."
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The ACS also states that colorectal cancer is the third most common cancer diagnosed in both men and women in the United States. As of 2024, there are about 106,590 new cases of colon cancer and 46,220 new cases of rectal cancer.
James has continued to work actively throughout his colorectal diagnosis. He's appeared on an episode of the CW's Walker, Texas Ranger reboot, which stars Jared Padalecki.
He's also set to star in a Tubi original film based on Tay Marley's book Sidelined: The QB and Me, starring Siena Agudong and Noah Beck.
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Lastly, James is set to be part of a two-hour special featuring other male celebrities (including Taye Diggs, Tyler Posey, Kansas City Chiefs defensive tackle Chris Jones, and Dancing with the Stars judge Bruno Tonioli) to raise awareness for prostate, testicular, and colorectal cancer testing and research called The Real Full Monty.
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The two-hour special is executive produced by Anthony Anderson.
James and the other actors' involvement in the special is aimed at challenging the stigma around prostate, testicular, and colorectal cancer. As of 2021, the US Preventive Services Task Force changed its recommended age for colorectal cancer screening from 50 to 45, and even younger for folks with direct family history of the cancer.
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As someone who's been directly affected by colorectal cancer, if this applies to you or someone you know, get tested.
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