Making a Difference While Fighting Cancer
- Dawson’s Creek star James Van Der Beek, 47, devastated fans last month when he announced he had been battling stage 3 colorectal cancer since August 2023. Through this challenging time however, he’s determined to raise awareness about early detection … most recently in a comedic and provocative way.
- On Dec. 9, the Connecticut native, who shares six children with his wife Kimberly, premiered a two-hour special on FOX called The Real Full Monty, which included Van Der Beek doing a male striptease on national television to shine a light on male cancers like prostate, testicular and colorectal cancers.
- He filmed his wife’s reaction to watching his performance this week, adding a new level of entertainment, and more importantly, showcasing Kimberly’s sweet support for her husband’s courageous spirit.
- Some people battling a disease like cancer are open to sharing their experiences as much as they can, while others prefer to keep it to themselves. SurvivorNet experts say both approaches and everything in between are valid. But many survivors, such as Van Der Beek, find a new purpose in using their story to help make a difference in other people’s lives by highlighting how crucial it is to get in to get your health screenings. Prioritizing your health is always most important.
On Dec. 9, the Connecticut native, who shares six children with his wife Kimberly, premiered a two-hour special on FOX called The Real Full Monty, which included a male striptease on national television to shine a light on male cancers like prostate, testicular and colorectal cancers.
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“I cannot believe this is actually happening,” Kimberly said, admitting she’s a little “nervous” as Van Der Beek grinned and laughed beside her, both sitting in the dark facing the TV. “Oh my God,” she repeated over and over while giggling, telling her husband he’s “actually doing really good” and “well, I guess if you need another night job, I should say … hot body.”
“This is so wild,” she added, with the camera still revealing her reactions.
“There go the pants,” James warned.
“No … ”
“Yep!”
“No.”
“Uh, huh. Oh yeah,” Van Der Beek proudly shot back as his wife placed her hand over her mouth. After some more laughs and recovery from his onstage antics, she shared, “That was really sweet and perfectly done … Nice job, baby.”
“Watch the special we did for @foxtv on @hulu,” Van Der Beek continued in his social media post. “And special shout out to the amazing @nopenother for wrangling us guys and putting together such a charming strip tease for a great cause.”
Added James, “And please encourage the men in your life to get screened, get scoped, get checked. It won’t be as uncomfortable as stripping in front of the world… and it just might save their life.”
James Van Der Beek’s Cancer Diagnosis
Van Der Beek learned he had colorectal cancer (a cancer that develops in the colon or rectum) last year after getting a colonoscopy done. He told People in his recent tell-all interview that his bowel issues led him to get checked.
“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,’” he told the celebrity news outlet.
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Colorectal cancer happens when polyps are not removed and become cancerous. It can take up to 10 years for a colon polyp to become cancerous, according to SurvivorNet experts.
“We know that colon cancers can be prevented when polyps are found early,” Dr. Heather Yeo, a surgical oncologist who specializes in colorectal cancers at Weill Cornell Medicine, told SurvivorNet. “Lowering the screening age helps somewhat with this, but access to care is a real problem.”
Looking for Polyps During Colonoscopy
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.”
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.
The American Gastrointestinal Association lowered the recommended initial age for a colorectal screening from 50 to 45. The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force recommends guidelines that state colon cancer screenings should begin at 45 years old. This is in response to the increase we see in colon cancer diagnoses in younger adults.
However, many insurance companies still do not cover the cost of screenings for those under 50. In the past, the disease had predominantly been found in adults 50 years or older, but for those predisposed to getting it at a younger age, these new guidelines could help catch it earlier.
What Increases Your Risk for Colorectal Cancer?
Certain risk factors can increase a person’s risk of getting colon cancer.
Risk factors to be aware include:
- Age — About 90% of cases are in people aged 50 or older, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control & Prevention (CDC). Yet it is possible to get this cancer earlier in life.
- Inflammatory bowel disease — Crohn’s disease or ulcerative colitis can, over time, cause cells in your intestines to turn cancerous.
- Family history — Just under one-third of people who get colon cancer have family members with the disease.
- Genetic mutations — About 5% of colorectal cancers are caused by an inherited genetic mutation that causes syndromes such as familial adenomatous polyposis (FAP) or hereditary nonpolyposis colorectal cancer (Lynch syndrome).
- Sedentary lifestyle — Staying active can lower your risk.
- Diet high in red meat — Regularly eating red meats like burgers and steaks, and processed meats such as hot dogs and bacon might put you at higher risk. Eating more fruits, vegetables, and whole grains instead might lower your risk.
- Being overweight/obese — Having too much weight increases your risk of both getting colon cancer and dying from it.
- Alcohol use — Limiting alcohol to one drink daily for women and two drinks daily for men could help lower your risk.
- Tobacco use — Long-term smokers are more likely to get this cancer than nonsmokers.
Treatment Options for Colorectal Cancer
Though Van Der Beek has chosen to keep the details of his colon cancer journey and treatment process private, it’s important to understand that your doctor has many ways to treat colon cancer, depending on what stage the cancer is, including:
- Surgery
- Radiation therapy
- Chemotherapy
- Targeted therapy
- Immunotherapy
Having a Supportive Partner During Cancer
It’s no secret that fighting cancer can be extremely overwhelming, so having physical and emotional support during your battle is crucial. It’s very important to know your limits on what you can handle — including relationships — during treatment, as everyone’s experience and personal choices are different.
“Going through treatment is a very vulnerable and emotionally exhausting experience,” licensed clinical psychologist Dr. Marianna Strongin wrote in a column for SurvivorNet. “Noticing what you have strength for and what is feeling like too much … [is] extremely important to pay attention to as you navigate treatment.”
Dr. Strongin does note, however, that having people by your side during this “arduous chapter” of your life can be hugely beneficial.
“Studies have found consistently that loneliness is a significant risk factor for physical and mental illnesses and the trajectory of recovery,” she wrote. “Therefore, it will be important that you surround yourself with individuals who care and support you throughout your treatment.”
Contributing by SurvivorNet Staff
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