- - James van der Beek, 48, dies of colon cancer. What to know about the condition

Alyssa Goldberg, USA TODAYFebruary 12, 2026 at 2:05 AM

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Actor James Van Der Beek died at the age of 48 on Wednesday, Feb. 11. The "Dawson's Creek" star's death comes less than three years after he first shared in August 2023 that he was diagnosed with Stage 3 colorectal cancer.

He spoke openly about his illness, frequently updating fans in the final years of his life.

Colon cancer (sometimes referred to as colorectal cancer because it often spreads to the rectum) is the third most commonly diagnosed cancer and second leading cause of cancer-related deaths when numbers for men and women are combined, according to the American Cancer Society.

It is one of the most preventable cancers in the United States, but symptoms often go undetected.

Van Der Beek spoke with USA TODAY in August 2025 about the importance of catching it early.

"To me, the biggest misunderstanding is that you need to have symptoms to get screened," he said. "I was very healthy, in amazing cardiovascular shape, and had full-blown Stage 3 cancer, and I didn't know it."

How common is colon cancer?

The National Cancer Institute says colon and rectal cancers make up about 7.6% of all new cancer cases, and the American Cancer Society estimates there will be 108,860 new cases of colon cancer in 2026.

Colorectal cancer is one of 17 different types of cancer rising for Gen X and millennials, according to American Cancer Society research published in 2025. There's no exact cause known for the rise in cancers among young people, according to experts, but researchers are trying to figure it out.

James Van Der Beek, Jenna Fischer: The rise of young people getting cancer

What are the symptoms of colon cancer?

The disease begins with the formation of benign polyps in the body's large intestine, also known as the colon. Over time, these polyps can become cancerous (malignant) and spread to other areas of the body.

According to Cleveland Clinic, it takes 10 years for a precancerous polyp to turn into a cancerous polyp that can cause symptoms. When symptoms appear, they may include:

Abdominal (belly) pain

Bloated stomach

Blood on or in your stool (poop)

Constipation or diarrhea

Feeling like there’s still poop in your bowel even after you go to the bathroom

Feeling tired or weak, no matter how much rest you get

Unexplained weight loss

These symptoms overlap with common conditions like stomach flu or food poisoning, but if they last for more than a few days, it’s time to talk to a health care provider.

Who is at risk of colon cancer?

While individual risk factors vary, the average risk of developing colorectal cancer over one's lifetime is about 1 in 24 for men and about 1 in 26 for women, per the American Cancer Society.

Factors that increase risk include being age 50 or older, having a family history of colon cancer, having many colon polyps (the more polyps in your colon, the greater the chance one or more may become cancerous), inheriting certain conditions (like Lynch syndrome and familial adenomatous polyposis), being obese or overweight, drinking alcohol and smoking cigarettes, according to Cleveland Clinic.

The good news is that when it is caught early, colon cancer is highly treatable. Even better, it’s largely preventable through routine screening and healthy dietary and lifestyle habits.

Colon cancer prognosis and treatment

The death rate from colorectal cancer has been dropping by about 1.5% per year in older adults during the past decade; researchers attribute this to advances in early detection and improved treatments. However, in people under 55, death rates have been increasing about 1% per year since the mid-2000s.

Understanding how these factors can cause colon cancer goes a long way in helping prevent it. But even more people avoid the worst outcomes of colon cancer by getting screened early and as often as is recommended.

Van Der Beek told USA TODAY in August 2025 he was passionate about sharing the message to get screened for colon cancer. "I'm shouting from the rooftops: Get screened. Talk to your doctor."

"I'm feeling good," he said at the time. "I've learned a lot. But if I could save people from having to go through this journey, I definitely will. I would still give colorectal cancer zero stars."

Contributing: Charles Trepany, David Oliver, Daryl Austin, USA TODAY

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: James van der Beek dies at 48. What to know about colon cancer

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