'Dawson's Creek' Star James Van Der Beek Has Been 'Privately' Dealing With 'Colorectal Cancer'

James Van Der Beek's health has been suffering for some time now, as he recently shared that he has been diagnosed with "colorectal cancer."

Despite his shock cancer diagnosis, the 47-year-old has revealed he intends to keep working amid his recuperation.

James Van Der Beek also noted in an interview that he is being optimistic about the situation and "feels good."

According to People Magazine, the "Dawson's Creek" actor has disclosed that he'd been diagnosed with colorectal cancer.

"I have 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," he told the news outlet.

"There's reason for optimism, and I'm feeling good," Van Der Beek added.

Colorectal cancer, also known as bowel cancer, colon cancer, or rectal cancer, is a type of cancer that affects the large intestine (colon and rectum). It occurs when abnormal cells in the colon or rectum grow and multiply uncontrollably, forming a tumor.

Despite the diagnosis, James hasn't closed the curtains on his career, having recently featured on an episode of "Walker" and would star in "Sidelined: The QB and Me," a Tubi original film that hit screens on Nov. 29.

Van Der Beek has prioritized his family time over the months while dealing with his cancer diagnosis, as he joined them for a memorable trip to Egypt in June.

At the time, he shared captivating images from the trip, which featured his wife, Kimberly Van Der Beek, and their six kids.

"Egypt… With all my vocabulary, 'Wow' is what fell out of my mouth most of the time. We were gifted a magical experience, one I'm still processing - and might be for the rest of my life," the actor wrote at the start of his lengthy caption.

In one snap, James and his whole family stood beside a Carmel with three Egyptian pyramids in the background. Other images show the kids playing with the desert sand and sitting beside one another while taking in the picturesque sights.

"The kids were rock stars, my friends became brothers, and despite all the travel and time zone crossing and early-morning alarms, I feel recharged," it has ended.

"I'd anticipated a metaphysical element to the trip, but I was caught off-guard at just how deeply I felt the spiritual resonance of all these temples," he wrote. "I mean, they are 'temples,' after all (duh), but whatever assumptions I had about these otherworldly structures being 'antiquities' faded as soon as I stepped into them."

He ended his caption by sharing that he left the "holy places" with "reverence and awe" and his "eyes, heart, and soul expanded."

James' wife, Kimberly, also appeared in their beautiful family getaway, noting that their trip included riding camelback in the desert, a "fire with tea," and "watching the kids run free-breaking rocks, running, sliding down sand and all while gazing at the pyramids."

"The sun setting as the full moon rose- shining brightly. We watched as locals playfully rode horses throughout the desert," she added, "The camel ride back- walking through tiny village streets- people living simply, their windows open, the smell of Egyptian food wafting through the air. It was heaven."

James took to his Instagram account in June to share his parenting travel hack.

"Parenting hack — If you like to travel with your kid, don't get them a nice crib that lives only in their room. Have them sleep in a travel crib full-time. That's ours," he said as he showed off an empty crib. "It's beat up. It's torn up. It's been around the world, and there's no adjustment period."

Meanwhile, James has been sharing sweet family moments on social media, often posting photos with his wife, Kimberly, and their six children.

Most recently, he shared highlights of their Halloween celebrations, expressing joy over the time he spent with his family.

"I made all my own costumes growing up. Didn't really have a choice. But I loved it. Should probably have been the first warning sign to my parents that I would end up an actor," James wrote in the caption of the Halloween carousel he shared.

In 2022, James took to his Instagram page to share moments of himself and his daughter having a nail painting session.

While the adorable post showed that James was having a good time with his child, his caption's message revealed how important the moment was for him.

In the post, the actor recalled a moment before the birth of his first kid when a coworker arrived on set with his nails still painted black.

The paint appeared "kind of emo" to Van Der Beek and a few others, but the colleague seemed unconcerned, claiming without "an ounce of embarrassment" that his daughter had put the polish on his finger the night before.

James was stunned as to why his colleague didn't remove the paint even though he knew he might get judged at work. However, becoming a girl dad helped the actor better understand that moment, which he described in his caption.

He wrote, "The complete ease with which you abandon shit you once thought mattered (but probably never really did in the first place)… and the simple joy you find in things that baffled you before you became a parent."