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\t\t<\/p>\n James Van Der Beek<\/strong><\/a> opened up about his cancer diagnosis in a revealing new interview. <\/p>\n The 47-year-old Dawson\u2019s Creek<\/em> star revealed that he had been diagnosed with stage 3 colorectal cancer<\/a> in a statement earlier this week. <\/p>\n In an interview, he explained why he decided to open up about his health. James<\/strong> also reflected on how he was diagnosed and what\u2019s driving him now. <\/p>\n Keep reading to find out more\u2026<\/em><\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n \u201cThat\u2019s one of the reasons I want to talk about it and the reason I\u2019m talking about it so openly,\u201d James<\/strong> told People<\/a>.<\/p>\n He continued, explaining, \u201cI\u2019ve been dealing with this pretty much in secret for a while, and in the past, I\u2019ve found it helpful and cathartic to share things publicly. And I\u2019ve found a lot of support that way. But more than that, I really wanted to raise awareness.\u201d<\/p>\n James<\/strong> recalled getting diagnosed after going in for a colonoscopy. At the time, he said that he \u201ctried to eat healthy\u201d and thought that he was doing well. However, his doctor shared the news with him after the procedure. <\/p>\n Going into treatment raised some questions for him. <\/p>\n \u201cThe trickiest thing is there are so many unknowns with cancer,\u201d he explained. \u201cYou think, \u2018How do I fix this? Is this healing me? Is this hurting me? Is this working? Is it coming back?\u2019 As someone who likes answers, not knowing is one of the hardest things.\u201d<\/p>\n Where does he stand now?<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m very cautiously optimistic. I\u2019m in a place of healing, my energy levels are great. When I\u2019ve been out of the woods completely for what feels like a responsible amount of time, I\u2019ll circle back and let you know,\u201d James<\/strong> said, adding, \u201cI have a lot to live for.\u201d <\/p>\n James<\/strong> revealed that he had to announce his diagnosis earlier than expected<\/a> for a sad reason. <\/p>\n <\/span><\/p><\/div>\n