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.
