James Van Der Beek, 48, Says Colorectal Cancer Led To ‘Self-Discovery’ & Is Urging Others To Get Checked: ‘The Sooner You Know It … The Better Off You’re Going To Be’

In a promotional video for Shield Cancer Screen, shared on Van Der Beek’s Instagram page, the beloved actor shares his story to raise awareness for the disease he’s battling, speaking about his journey completely at peace in a quiet, zen-like state outside.

He explains, “I was diagnosed with colorectal cancer in August of 2023, I was stage 3. I think I just went into shock, if I had caught it earlier. What ifs are a very slippery slope.

“I would love to save anybody I could from having to go into that what if spiral. I understand all the resistance to getting screened. It’s scary to think about.”

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A post shared by Shield Cancer Screen (@shieldcancerscreen)

The dad of six and loving husband to film producer Kimberly Van Der Beek, 43, urged anyone hearing his message to check for colorectal cancer as non-invasive screening methods exist.

Van Der Beek insisted, “I mean with SHIELD you could get screened with a blood test, it’s that simple. There’s just no reason to not do it.”

“You have to deal with what actually is, and the more you know, the sooner you know it, when it comes to cancer, the better off you’re going to be,” he concluded.

Alongside the promo video clip, originally shared by Shield Cancer Screen’s Instagram page, Van Der Beek states, “Colorectal cancer (CRC) propelled me, like it or not, into a profound journey of self-discovery, which – when the weather cooperates – includes meditation under my favorite oak tree.

“This experience has shown me that early knowledge is a powerful tool in the fight against CRC, and with the Shield™ blood test, early detection is more accessible than ever. If you’re 45 years old or older, talk to your doctor about Shield and learn more at shieldcancerscreen.com.”

The Shield test is an FDA-approved blood test, created by Guardant Health, that offers a simple, non-invasive way for adults 45 and older to screen for colorectal cancer.

RELATED: ‘Dawson’s Creek’ Star James Van Der Beek Praises Dad For His ‘Life-Saving’ & ‘Life-Affirming’ Support Through Colorectal Cancer

The post concluded, “For Important Product Information, including precaution and limitations, visit shieldcancerscreen.info/Precaution. Shield is FDA-approved, covered by Medicare and available through prescription only.”

We’re delighted to see Van Der Beek, who is also known for starring in “Varsity Blues” and “The Rules of Attraction,” continuing to champion awareness for colon cancer, one of the most preventable types of cancer, largely due to effective screening methods.

However, it’s important to note that data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention show that nearly one-third of adults are not getting screened as recommended. The reason for a lack of screening is that many people avoid it or ignoring possible symptoms due to embarrassment about discussing bowel habits and anxiety about procedures like colonoscopies.

Van Der Beek Discovers Cancer Following Bowel Troubles

Van Der Beek admitted to dismissing his bowel problems to his coffee consumption, telling People magazine in an earlier interview, “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 ultimately visited his doctor and received a colonoscopy, which checks for signs of cancer in the colon, to determine whether his unusual bowel habits signaled a more serious issue—and they did.

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A post shared by James Van Der Beek (@vanderjames)

He ultimately chose to open up about his cancer journey in a social media post, saying, “It is cancer …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.”

Some individuals facing a disease or cancer are willing to openly share their experiences, while others choose to keep them private or confide only in close loved ones. As per SurvivorNet experts, all approaches—and everything in between—are valid.

WATCH: Sharing a Diagnosis

“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.

Dr. Plutchik says patients consider questions like “How much information should they share and with whom should they share the information?” She explained further, “There is no one right way to handle this diagnosis. People should do what feels right to them.”

A cancer journey can span months or even years, leaving patients with a significant amount of uncertainty about their health. This uncertainty often affects when they feel ready to talk about their diagnosis, explained Dr. Plutchik.

Dr. Plutchik emphasizes that friends and family should honor the patient’s preferences regarding sharing their diagnosis and seeking support.

Dr. Zuri Murrell On Lowering Your Colon Cancer Risk

Understanding Treatment Options

Although, Van Der Beek has chosen to keep additional 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

Surgery

Surgery is the main treatment for most early-stage colon cancers, according to the doctors SurvivorNet spoke with. The surgeon will remove the part of the colon or rectum where there is cancer, along with a small area of healthy tissue around it. Taking out as much of the cancer as possible is important for improving your outcome.

The surgery may be performed through small incisions (laparoscopy), or through a larger incision. Some people may need to wear a special bag (ostomy) to collect wastes after surgery.

Deciding When to Operate on Colon Cancer

Radiation Therapy

This treatment aims high-energy x-rays at the cancer to destroy the abnormal cells. The radiation can come from a machine outside your body, or be placed directly inside your body. Sometimes people get radiation before surgery, to shrink the tumor and make it easier for the surgeon to remove. This is called neoadjuvant radiation.

Chemotherapy

This treatment uses strong medicine to stop cancer cells from dividing, no matter where they are in your body. You may get a combination of chemotherapy drugs as your first treatment. Chemotherapy has been very well studied for colorectal cancer, and it is known to improve survival.

The most common therapy is a combination of chemo drugs called FOLFOX:

• FOL = leucovorin calcium (folinic acid)
• F = fluorouracil
• OX = oxaliplatin

Your doctor may add medications like irinotecan (FOLFIRI) or cetuximab, depending on how well your tumor shrinks with treatment and other specifics about your particular cancer. For FOLFOX, the medications are given through the vein and require regular doctor visits.

To determine exactly which chemotherapy regimen you get, your doctor will consider your age and how well you might tolerate the side effects of chemotherapy. Gene mutations (for example, BRAF and KRAS) and the location of the primary colon tumor also factor into the decision.

You can also get chemotherapy before colon cancer surgery, which is called neoadjuvant chemotherapy. Getting chemo first helps to shrink the tumor, which can make both the surgery and recovery easier, according to SurvivorNet’s experts. Chemo is also a treatment for cancer that returns after therapy.

Targeted Therapy

This treatment targets substances like proteins or genes that the cancer needs to grow. This makes targeted therapy more precise than chemotherapy, and less likely to damage healthy cells. One example of targeted therapy is bevacizumab (Avastin), which stops the growth of new blood vessels that feed tumors. Another group of targeted therapies are called epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) inhibitors, which block the cancer from growing.

Immunotherapy

This treatment makes your own immune system a more efficient cancer fighter. A group of drugs called checkpoint inhibitors, which includes pembrolizumab (Keytruda) and nivolumab (Opdivo), work by preventing cancer cells from hiding from your immune system. Checkpoint inhibitors may extend the amount of time before the cancer spreads.

Dr. Paul Oberstein, on which treatments doctors use to turn stage 4 colon cancer into a chronic but manageable disease

What Increases Your Risk for Developing Colon Cancer?

For some people, certain risk factors can influence their risk of getting colon cancer. They include the following:

• Are older. 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.
• Have inflammatory bowel disease.  Crohn’s disease or ulcerative colitis can, over time, cause cells in your intestines to turn cancerous.
• Have a family history of this cancer. Just under one-third of people who get colon cancer have family members with the disease.
• Have a gene mutation. 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).
• Don’t exercise very often. Stying active can lower your risk.
• Eat a diet that’s high in 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.
• You are overweight or obese. Having too much weight increases your risk of both getting colon cancer and dying from it.
• Drink a lot of alcohol.  Limiting alcohol to one drink daily for women and two drinks daily for men could help lower your risk.
• Use tobacco. Long-term smokers are more likely to get this cancer than nonsmokers.

Cancer Research Legend Urges Patients to Get Multiple Opinions

Contributing: SurvivorNet Staff

Learn more about SurvivorNet's rigorous medical review process.

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