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James Van Der Beek says the first symptoms of his stage 3 colon cancer were difficult to understand; Ways to detect early symptoms
Dawsonâs Creek star James Van Der Beek, who revealed he was diagnosed with stage three colon cancer last week, has said the first symptoms of the deadly disease were difficult to understand. James, 47, who has started his treatment, said he initially noticed changes in the gut, but he dismissed it as drinking too much coffee. Read on to learn some signs you shouldnât ignore.
Most symptoms of colorectal cancer begin as growths called polyps in the colon or rectum and may spread into the walls of those areas over time.
James Van Der Beek, who shared his diagnosis of stage three colon cancer last week, said he was âshockedâ to learn of his condition, adding that it was the hardest thing he had ever had to do. The Dawsonâs Creek star said he has begun treatment for the cancer â which spreads aggressively. Colon cancer is the third most common non-skin cancer in both men and women and the second leading cause of cancer death in the US.
âI found sharing things publicly helpful and cathartic,â Van Der Beek said in an interview with People magazine. He said that he wanted to raise awareness about this cancer.
Van der Beekâs first symptoms were bowel changes.
Sharing his first symptoms, the 47-year-old actor said that like many colon cancer patients, he noticed changes in his bowel movements last year, which he initially thought was caused by drinking coffee, but the irregularities turned out to be Stayed. âWhen I cut it off and it didnât improve, I thought, âWell, I better get it checked out,'â he said. James later had a colonoscopy, which confirmed cancer.
According to experts, most symptoms of colorectal cancer begin as growths called polyps in the colon or rectum and can spread into the walls of those areas over time. The American Cancer Society says colon cancer rates in people under 55 like Van Der Beek have been rising 1-2 percent each year since the mid-1990s. âThe most intriguing thing is that there are so many unknowns about cancer,â Van der Beek said.
Early symptoms of colon cancer You should pay serious attention to this
Doctors say you may not experience colon cancer symptoms at all, especially in the early stages. However, when you do, they include:
- constipation
- Diarrhea
- blood in stool
- change in stool color
- change in stool shape
- rectal bleeding
- weight loss
- stomach pain
- extreme fatigue and tiredness
- Feeling like your bowels wonât empty completely
According to experts, early diagnosis of colon cancer gives you the best chance of curing it. Because it usually has no symptoms in the early stages, colon cancer is often caught during routine checkups, such as a colonoscopy.
According to the US Preventive Services Task Force, the recommended age to start colon cancer screening is 45 years old. In addition to a physical examination, which includes a physical and rectal examination to determine whether lumps or polyps are present in your colon area, several other tests are recommended at different annual intervals for screening.
What causes colon cancer,
Doctors say that even though the exact cause of this dangerous disease is still unknown, researchers have identified several factors that can increase your risk, some of which include:
- genetic mutation
- being over 50 years of age
- Previous history of colon polyps
- previous history of bowel disease
- having conditions such as inflammatory bowel disease
- having African or Ashkenazi Jewish ancestry
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