Tragedy struck the entertainment world once again as James Van Der Beek, beloved star of Dawson’s Creek and Varsity Blues, passed away at just 48 after a battle with colorectal cancer. Less than two months before his death, Van Der Beek shared a stark warning: “You can have no symptoms and still have cancer.” Those words now resonate as a critical call for early screening, no matter your age.
Colorectal cancer remains one of the deadliest cancers worldwide. In 2020 alone, it claimed roughly 930,000 lives globally, with numbers expected to rise. In the United States, the American Cancer Society (ACS) projects colorectal cancer will cause about 55,230 deaths in 2026, making it the second-leading cause of cancer deaths among men and women combined. High-profile losses in recent years have put a human face on these grim statistics. Chadwick Boseman, the late Black Panther star, died at 43 from the same disease, and now Van Der Beek’s passing adds to the alarm.
In a November 2024 interview with People, Van Der Beek revealed he was diagnosed with stage 3 colorectal cancer at 46. “I always associated cancer with age or unhealthy lifestyles. But I was in great shape and tried to eat well,” he said. That summer, he noticed subtle changes in his bowel movements. Initially, he brushed them off, joking about coffee and cream. But when symptoms persisted, he sought medical advice—and a colonoscopy confirmed his worst fear. “The gastroenterologist said—pleasantly, of course—that it was cancer. I went into shock,” he admitted.
Continue reading on next page…