James Van Der Beek, who starred in the 1990s teen drama “Dawson’s Creek,” said on Sunday that he had been diagnosed with colorectal cancer.
“I’ve been dealing with this privately until now, getting treatment and dialing in my overall health with greater focus than ever before,” Mr. Van Der Beek, 47, said in a post on Instagram. “I’m in a good place and feeling strong.”
The post did not specify the type of cancer, but in an interview with People Magazine, he said that he had colorectal cancer, which develops in the tissue of the colon or rectum. About 1 in 23 men are diagnosed with colorectal cancer in their lifetimes, according to the American Cancer Society. Women have a similar rate of risk.
Mr. Van Der Beek shot to fame playing Dawson Leery, the titular character in “Dawson’s Creek,” the teen drama which ran from 1998 to 2003 on the WB network. Later this year, he is set to appear in “The Real Full Monty,” a television special in which a group of male celebrities will strip down to raise awareness for prostate, testicular, and colorectal cancer testing and research.
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