Actor James Van Der Beek has been diagnosed with colorectal cancer.
“I’ve been privately dealing with this diagnosis and have been taking steps to resolve it, with the support of my incredible family,” the 47-year-old father of six told People in a story published on Sunday.
“There’s reason for optimism, and I’m feeling good,” Van Der Beek added.
Numbers from the American Cancer Society show that colorectal cancer is the third most common cancer diagnosed in both men and women in the United States, when skin cancer is excluded from the statistics.
While colorectal cancer can be fatal, there has been a drop in death rates from the disease in recent decades.
The American Cancer Society attributes the decrease in deaths to the wider use of screenings and patients’ willingness to commit to lifestyle changes post-diagnosis.
Along with age and family history, there are a number of factors that can put people at a higher risk of getting colorectal cancer.
Those factors include having diets heavy in red meat and processed proteins, as well as eating too little fiber and overconsuming foods that are high in fat.
Tobacco use, excessive alcohol drinking and weight issues can also be contributing factors.
In addition to leading the popular teen drama “Dawson’s Creek” from 1998 to 2003, Van Der Beek also appeared in the medical series “Mercy” and played a sensationalized version of himself on ABC’s “Don’t Trust the B in Apartment 23.”
His film credits include “Varsity Blues,” “The Rules of Attraction” and “Labor Day.”