• Actor James Van Der Beek, formerly of “Dawson’s Creek, announced that he is battling colorectal cancer.
• The 47-year-old actor’s diagnosis is part of a startling trend in rising colon cancer cases among young adults.
• In 2021, the recommended screening age was lowered from 50 to 45 in response to the growing number of early-onset colon cancer cases.
• Colorectal cancer is one of the leading causes of cancer-related deaths, but is also highly treatable if found early.

Television and film star James Van Der Beek announced that he is battling colorectal cancer.

The 47-year-old former “Dawson’s Creek” actor announced the diagnosis on his personal Instagram page and later confirmed it toPeople. Van Der Beek had been keeping the news private but was compelled to come forward to prevent a tabloid from running the story.

“I’ve been dealing with this privately until now, getting treatment and dialing in my overall health with greater focus than ever before. I’m in a good place and feeling strong,” Van Der Beek wrote in the post. “It’s been quite the initiation, and I’ll tell you more when I’m ready,” he wrote.

Van Der Beek added that he hopes to be able to tell his story on his own terms and raise awareness about the disease.

“I hope because of his story that others will reevaluate some of their symptoms they may be having, and hopefully, meet with a physician to investigate further to ensure maybe that they can be diagnosed earlier rather than later,” Cathy Eng, MD, FACP, executive director of the Young Adult Cancers Program at Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center, told Healthline.

Colon cancer increasing in young adults

Colon cancer (CRC) has become more prevalent among younger adults in recent years.

Between 1995 and 2019, the number of CRC diagnoses in individuals under 55 has doubled. The number of deaths associated with CRC in those younger than 50 has also increased by 1% annually since 2005.

In response, the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force issued a new recommendation to lower the age to start screening for colorectal cancer from 50 to 45 years of age.

“CRC has now become the leading cause of cancer deaths in men and women under the age of 50 years old. That is a remarkable finding, and this certainly goes with that trend,” Christina Annunziata, MD, PhD, senior vice president of Extramural Discovery Science at the American Cancer Society, told Healthline, referring to Van Der Beek’s diagnosis.

According to the American Cancer Society, risk factors associated with the increasing incidence of colon cancer among younger adults include excess body weight, processed meat consumption, and smoking.

Colon cancer is also more common in males than females. Racial and ethnic factors are also prominent indicators of risk: Alaska Natives, American Indians, and Blacks have the highest incidences of CRC.

“We do not know exactly why this is happening, but I would definitely say it is multifactorial at the end of the day. The numbers are concerning and alarming when you’re seeing a young patient in your clinic with stage 4 disease that is surgically unresectable and incurable,” Eng said.

Screening for colorectal cancer

Colorectal cancer affects the cells of the colon (large intestine) and rectum.

CRC is the fourth most common type of cancer in the United States but is the second-leading cause of all cancer-related deaths. Despite being one of the most deadly cancers, it is highly treatable when it is diagnosed early.

Current guidelines recommend people with an average colon cancer risk begin regular screening at age 45.

At 47, Van Der Beek was narrowly within that window. The actor didn’t offer any additional details about the diagnosis, nor did he specify what treatment options he’s pursuing.

Colorectal cancer most often starts out as small growths known as polyps, which vary in size and shape from bumps and flat growths to mushroom-shaped growths.

Most polyps may be benign, but some will eventually develop into cancer. The size of a polyp and the number of polyps in the colon may be indicators of the likelihood of the polyp developing into cancer.

Without knowing the stage of Van Der Beek’s cancer, it’s impossible to say when it developed.

According to Eng, it takes an average of 5 to 10 years for a noncancerous polyp to develop into cancer, meaning that polyps could have been present as early as a person’s late 30s. “You can have a polyp without having any symptoms,” Eng noted.

Signs and symptoms of colon cancer

There are numerous signs and symptoms of colorectal cancer. However, many of them are nonspecific, meaning they could be the result of other conditions and, therefore, difficult to diagnose.

“Some of the early warning signs may include blood in the stool, abdominal pain and cramping, weight loss, and fatigue,” Christopher Chen, MD, an assistant professor of Oncology and director of Early Drug Development at the Stanford Cancer Institute, Stanford Medicine, told Healthline.

Rectal bleeding is the most obvious symptom of colorectal cancer and should be pursued with a doctor.

Ovunc Bardakcioglu, MD, FACS, chief of colorectal surgery at the Kirk Kerkorian School of Medicine at the University of Las Vegas, told Healthline that people should not only be aware of these symptoms but pay particular attention to their frequency and duration.

Occasional abdominal pain isn’t out of the ordinary, but persistent cramping could warrant a discussion with a healthcare professional.

“I’ve seen in my practice patients having these symptoms for a long period of time, up to a year, and I think it would be very important, even in that young population — 20s and 30s — to get an immediate full workup,” Bardakcioglu said.

Takeaway

Former “Dawson’s Creek” actor James Van Der Beek was forced to go public with his colorectal cancer diagnosis in response to a tabloid planning to run the story.

Van Der Beek’s diagnosis is part of a growing trend in rising colorectal cancer cases among young people. Since 1995, the number of diagnoses of early-onset colon cancer in people under 55 has doubled.

Colorectal cancer affects the cells of the colon (large intestine) and rectum. It is the second leading cause of all cancer-related deaths.

Signs and symptoms of colorectal include rectal bleeding, unexplained weight loss, and persistent abdominal pain. If you’re experiencing any of these symptoms, you should reach out to a healthcare professional as soon as possible.