James Van Der Beek Explains Why He's Talking About His Cancer Diagnosis, How He Was Diagnosed & More

James Van Der Beek opened up about his cancer diagnosis in a revealing new interview.

The 47-year-old Dawson’s Creek star revealed that he had been diagnosed with stage 3 colorectal cancer in a statement earlier this week.

In an interview, he explained why he decided to open up about his health. James also reflected on how he was diagnosed and what’s driving him now.

Keep reading to find out more…

“That’s one of the reasons I want to talk about it and the reason I’m talking about it so openly,” James told People.

He continued, explaining, “I’ve been dealing with this pretty much in secret for a while, and in the past, I’ve found it helpful and cathartic to share things publicly. And I’ve found a lot of support that way. But more than that, I really wanted to raise awareness.”

James recalled getting diagnosed after going in for a colonoscopy. At the time, he said that he “tried to eat healthy” and thought that he was doing well. However, his doctor shared the news with him after the procedure.

Going into treatment raised some questions for him.

“The trickiest thing is there are so many unknowns with cancer,” he explained. “You think, ‘How do I fix this? Is this healing me? Is this hurting me? Is this working? Is it coming back?’ As someone who likes answers, not knowing is one of the hardest things.”

Where does he stand now?

“I’m very cautiously optimistic. I’m in a place of healing, my energy levels are great. When I’ve been out of the woods completely for what feels like a responsible amount of time, I’ll circle back and let you know,” James said, adding, “I have a lot to live for.”

James revealed that he had to announce his diagnosis earlier than expected for a sad reason.