Finding Strength in the Face of Stage 3 Colon Cancer
- James Van Der Beek, Dawson’s Creek star, 48, celebrated a particularly meaningful Father’s Day weekend in Florida with his wife and six children after undergoing treatment for stage 3 colon cancer.
- Colon cancer is highly treatable and curable when detected early. Screening options include at-home tests like Cologuard, though medical experts recommend a colonoscopy for more effective detection.
- A colonoscopy uses a thin, flexible tube with a camera to inspect the colon and rectum for polyps. Polyps are small, noncancerous growths that can be removed during the procedure to prevent cancer from developing.
- Colorectal screenings are generally advised starting at age 45, but individuals with higher risk factors, such as a family history of colon cancer, may need earlier testing. Consulting a doctor about screening options is recommended.
- Advancements in colon cancer treatment have become more precise, with targeted therapies that focus on specific genetic mutations fueling cancer growth.
- Parents battling cancer often find strength in their children. Medical experts suggest that an open and effective communication plan can help ease the emotional toll for both parents and children.
“When I was away for treatment, I was no longer able to be the husband and father I wanted to be,” Van Der Beek shared in an emotional Instagram post, highlighting the challenges of facing cancer as a parent.
Read MoreView this post on InstagramColon cancer, also known as colorectal cancer, affects the large intestine or rectum. At stage 3, the disease has spread beyond its point of origin, requiring aggressive treatment. Despite the hardships, Van Der Beek was able to reunite with his wife and six children for a much-needed, sun-soaked Father’s Day getaway in Florida.
“We ready for you Florida! Excited to go see family!” his wife Kimberly posted on Instagram, sharing a snapshot of their children, bags in tow, at the airport.
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Beyond his role as Dawson Leery in Dawson’s Creek, Van Der Beek has starred in notable films like Varsity Blues and The Rules of Attraction. While his career has spanned decades, his greatest priority remains his faith, family, and resilience in his cancer battle.
Facing cancer as a parent can be emotionally taxing, with fears of leaving one’s children adding another layer of stress. Laura Nathan-Garner, Director of Strategic Communications at MD Anderson Cancer Center, stresses the importance of open and honest communication: “No matter what your prognosis is, it’s essential to talk openly and honestly with kids.”
Similarly, Dr. Cindy Moore of Massachusetts General Hospital Cancer Center, speaking to The ASCO Post, highlights the delicate balance for parents battling cancer: “Cancer patients with children can have increased motivation to endure difficult treatment but may also be concerned about the emotional impact of the illness on their offspring.”
Dr. Moore encourages parents to work closely with their healthcare teams to create effective communication plans, helping children understand their parent’s diagnosis in a way that is reassuring and constructive.
As Van Der Beek continues his cancer journey, he remains steadfast in his belief in hope, love, and the unbreakable bond of family, inspiring many with his courage and determination.
“There’s reason for optimism, and I’m feeling good,” Van Der Beek said to People.
Expert Resources on Colorectal Cancer
- 5 Possible Signs of Colon Cancer; Don’t Be Afraid to Look in the Toilet!
- A Coffee Enema Will Not Prevent Colon Cancer
- Alcohol Intake Has a Big Impact on Colon Cancer Surgery
- Can The Stuff In My Gut Cause Cancer? There May Be a Link to Increased Rates of Colon CancerHere’s What The Experts Say
- Colon Cancer Screening is Extremely Important; Guidelines Now Say to Start at Age 45 if There Is No Family History
Bowel Issues Prompted Van Der Beek’s Cancer Discovery
Van Der Beek started having bowel issues. However, he attributed the abnormality to his coffee habit.
“I thought maybe I needed to stop coffee. Or maybe not put cream in the coffee. But when I cut that out and it didn’t improve, I thought, ‘All right, I better get this checked out,’” Van Der Beek told People Magazine.
Van Der Beek went to see his doctor and received a colonoscopy – which checks for signs of cancer in the colon – to see if his atypical bowel habits could be something else. It turned out it was.
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“It is cancer,” Van Der Beek said in a social media post sharing part of his cancer journey and warning others to stay on top of their health.
Van Der Beek admitted he had been struggling with who and how to share his diagnosis.
“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. It’s been quite the initiation, and I’ll tell you more when I’m ready.
WATCH: Sharing a Diagnosis
Some people battling a disease or cancer are open to sharing their experiences as much as they can, while others prefer to keep it to themselves or close loved ones. SurvivorNet experts say both approaches, and everything in between, are valid.
“Patients who have just been diagnosed with cancer sometimes wonder how they are going to handle the diagnosis of the cancer in social situations,” psychiatrist Dr. Lori Plutchik explains.
Plutchik says patients consider questions like “How much information should they share and with whom should they share the information?”
Dr. Plutchik explains, “There is no one right way to handle this diagnosis. People should do what feels right to them.”
A cancer journey can last months to years, which means cancer warriors may be experiencing a lot of uncertainty until they fully understand where their health stands. This uncertainty can influence when a cancer patient is ready to share their diagnosis, Dr. Plutchik further explained.
Dr. Plutchik stresses that those close to a person going through cancer should be respectful of their wishes when it comes to disclosing their diagnosis and seeking support.
Colon Cancer Is Treatable and Curable When Caught Early
Colon cancer is very treatable and curable if caught early. Colon cancer screenings can involve at-home tests such as Cologuard, but a colonoscopy is more effective, according to SurvivorNet experts.
The cancer starts when abnormal lumps called polyps grow in the colon or rectum. It takes up to 10 years for a colon polyp to become full-blown cancer, according to SurvivorNet experts.
When you have a colonoscopy, the gastroenterologist looks for polyps inside your intestine. Although polyps can’t be felt, they can be picked up by screening tests before they cause a problem, such as colon or rectal (colorectal) cancer.
A polyp found during a colonoscopy can be removed, which can prevent the development of cancer. Almost all polyps that are removed are precancerous, meaning that they have not yet progressed to cancer.
The American Gastrointestinal Association lowered the recommended initial age for a colorectal screening from 50 to 45. However, experts recommend screening earlier for some people who may be at an increased risk of developing colon cancer, such as having a family history of the disease.
WATCH: Debunking misconceptions about colon cancer.
The most poignant signature of colon cancer is a change in bowel habits. Changes in the size or shape of bowel movements may cause constipation or diarrhea. A change in stool color, particularly black or tarry stools, can indicate bleeding from a tumor deep in the colon.
Other symptoms can be harder to pinpoint, such as abdominal pain and unintentional weight loss. Finally, some tumors bleed a small amount over a long period of time, resulting in anemia (low red blood cell count) that is picked up on blood work.
A Colonoscopy Explained
A colonoscopy is a procedure doctors use to screen for colon cancer by looking inside your colon.
This procedure requires your colon to be “cleaned out.” To clear out your colon, your doctor will prescribe a “bowel prep,” a liquid you drink the night before the procedure. The prep acts as a laxative that causes you to have multiple loose stools before your procedure.
Once your colon is cleared, the gastroenterologist performing the procedure can have a clear look to evaluate if any polyps or masses are present.
Depending on the size and number of polyps found, it is recommended that patients undergo a repeat colonoscopy within three to five years.
WATCH: What Doctors Look for During Colonoscopies
Dr. Zuri Murrell, a colorectal cancer surgeon and Director of the Cedars-Sinai Colorectal Cancer Center, previously explained the colonoscopy procedure to SurvivorNet.
“When we see a polyp, we actually physically take the polyp out through the colonoscope,” he explained.
“What does that mean? That means we basically put a wire through with a little bit of a flange at the end, and we pull the polyp out. Now, note there is no pain with that. Inside the colon, there are no pain fibers. So there’s no pain,” Dr. Murrell added.
The advantage of a colonoscopy is that your doctor can remove any polyps found during the test. Many colon cancers can be caught on colonoscopy before they develop or when the polyps are small enough to be removed without surgery.
What Treatment Options Exist for Colon Cancer?
“There are a lot of advances being made in colorectal cancer,” Dr. Heather Yeo, a colorectal surgeon at Weill Cornell Medicine, previously told SurvivorNet.
Colon cancer treatment is more targeted, meaning doctors often test for specific changes or genetic mutations that cause cancer growth.
Biomarkers are key to tailoring specific treatments. Biomarkers are molecular patterns becoming more commonly used in colon cancer diagnosis, prognosis, and management. According to the National Cancer Institute, a biomarker is “a biological molecule found in blood, other body fluids, or tissues that is a sign of a normal or abnormal process, or a condition or disease,” such as cancer.
“In colon cancer, we’re starting to look more and more at people’s biomarkers, so we’re starting to take the cancers, sequence them, understand where the different mutations are to figure out whether or not someone has a normal gene here or an abnormal gene,” Dr. Yeo explained.
“Those are the areas that people want to be able to target a little bit more. We’re getting close to more what we would call precision medicine, meaning we can start looking at people’s genetic mutations and think about how they might respond to different drugs.”
There are different types of biomarkers, including DNA, proteins, and genetic mutations found in blood, tumor tissue, or other body fluids. The biomarkers most commonly used in colon cancer management are:
Genetic mutations within the tumor, such as MMR/MSI, KRAS, BRAF, and HER2
Bloodstream carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA)CEA is a protein produced by most tumor cells (but not all) and can be picked up in the bloodstream. High CEA levels do not establish a colon cancer diagnosis. However, higher CEA levels correlate with a worse prognosis and potential metastasis. Carcinoembryonic antigen is important for post-treatment follow-up to ensure the cancer hasn’t returned. Be sure to check with your doctor before treatment starts to ensure a CEA blood sample has been obtained.
More on Treating Colon Cancer
Surgery and chemotherapy are common approaches to colorectal cancer.
Some examples of Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved chemotherapy drug treatments include:
- FOLFOX: leucovorin, 5-FU, and oxaliplatin (Eloxatin)
- FOLFIRI: leucovorin, 5-FU, and irinotecan (Camptosar)
- CAPEOX or CAPOX: capecitabine (Xeloda) and oxaliplatin
- FOLFOXIRI: leucovorin, 5-FU, oxaliplatin, and irinotecan
- Trifluridine and tipiracil (Lonsurf)
WATCH: Understanding Your Options with Metastatic Colon Cancer
Among metastatic colon cancer patients, multiple treatment options exist, including surgical and non-surgical options.
One treatment option includes an oral treatment called Fruquintinib, which is a targeted therapy for adults with metastatic colorectal cancer who have tried other treatments. Results from a trial published last year showed the drug improved overall survival and progression-free survival, which measures the amount of time before the cancer returns or spreads. It works by blocking the growth of blood vessels, which increases tumor growth.
Once you get to the metastatic setting, many patients “just run out of options,” Jennifer Elliott, head of solid tumors at Takeda, explained to SurvivorNet at the ASCO Annual Meeting. So it was critically important for Takeda to do this deal to in-license fruquintinib. We hope to give patients another option.”
Fruquintinib has been approved in China since 2018 and was originally developed by the Chinese biopharmaceutical company HUTCHMED. In January 2023, Takeda Oncology acquired the exclusive worldwide license for the drug outside of mainland China, Hong Kong, and Macau.
Questions to Ask Your Doctor
If you are facing a colon cancer diagnosis, here are some questions you may ask your doctor.
- What are my treatment options based on my diagnosis?
- If I’m worried about managing the costs of cancer care, who can help me?
- What support services are available to me? To my family?
- Could this treatment affect my sex life? If so, how and for how long?
- What are the risks and possible side effects of treatment?
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