Colon cancer is hitting younger Americans harder — and Van Der Beek’s death is forcing the issue into the spotlight

WASHINGTON — Colorectal cancer is no longer viewed as a disease that mainly threatens older adults. It is increasingly affecting Americans in their 30s and 40s, and it has become the leading cancer killer of Americans under 50, according to an Associated Press report that says the trend is reshaping how doctors and patients think about risk, screening, and warning signs.

The issue surged back into public conversation this week after the death of actor James Van Der Beek at 48, following a battle with colorectal cancer that he disclosed publicly in 2024. The AP reported his death has renewed attention to a pattern health experts have been tracking for years — including comparisons to the earlier death of “Black Panther” star Chadwick Boseman at 43 — and to the fact that many younger patients are diagnosed later, partly because they and their doctors often don’t initially suspect cancer.

Health officials say the rise in younger cases is real, even if the reasons are still being debated. Researchers have pointed to possible links with diet, obesity, sedentary lifestyles, gut microbiome changes and environmental exposures, but no single factor fully explains why rates in younger adults have climbed. What experts do agree on is the practical takeaway: symptoms that used to be brushed off in younger patients deserve faster attention.

Those symptoms can include blood in stool, unexplained anemia, persistent changes in bowel habits, ongoing abdominal pain, and unexplained weight loss. Doctors emphasize that most people with those symptoms still won’t have cancer — but the cost of waiting can be high if the diagnosis is missed until the disease is advanced.

Screening guidance has also shifted in recent years, with major medical groups recommending earlier screening than in the past for average-risk adults. The AP’s reporting ties the current public focus to the broader trend: younger Americans may not feel urgency about colon cancer, so public awareness moments — especially involving well-known figures — can push people to talk to doctors, review family history and act sooner.

Van Der Beek’s career, which spanned from “Dawson’s Creek” to later self-parody roles, fueled a wave of online reaction that mixed nostalgia with concern about the illness. The AP reported he rose to fame in the late 1990s and later embraced comedic takes on his heartthrob persona, and that he is survived by his wife and six children. For many fans, the shock wasn’t only the loss — it was the age.

Public health experts say that shock can be useful if it moves conversations from “that’s sad” to “what should I do?” The most actionable steps remain basic but important: know your family history, take persistent symptoms seriously, and follow screening guidance appropriate to your risk level. For higher-risk people — including those with strong family history or certain inflammatory bowel diseases — doctors may recommend screening earlier than the average-risk age.

The trend has also put pressure on health systems to ensure younger patients aren’t dismissed. As awareness grows, clinicians say they are more likely to order diagnostic tests when symptoms don’t resolve, rather than assuming stress, hemorrhoids, or diet changes explain everything. The goal isn’t panic. It’s speed — catching disease earlier, when treatment is more likely to work.