Dawson’s Creek heart-throb James Van Der Beek revelations last night that he has colorectal cancer at the age of just 47 has fueled gowing concern about cases in young people.
The former heart-throb, who appeared as Dawson Leery in the long-running 90s series is just the latest victim of a mystery explosion of diagnoses in younger people.
The actor, who shares six children with his wife, Kimberly, said he has been ‘privately dealing with this diagnosis’ and had continued working.
He added that he was ‘taking steps to resolve it with the support of my incredible family’ — the couple, who moved from Los Angeles to Texas four years ago, share six children.
Despite the undoubted shock, Van Der Beek added that he felt there was ‘reason for optimism, and I’m feeling good.’
The disturbing rise of colorectal cancer — also known as colon or bowel cancer — in under 50s has baffled doctors around the globe.
The disease — which also claimed the life of Dame Deborah James at the age of 40 — has surged by 50 per cent this age-group over the past three decades.
And while some experts believe the explanation must lie rising levels obesity, which affects the digestive system, others think there could be a different explanation.
They believe this doesn’t explain the rise in the disease in young people, like Van Der Beek, who are otherwise perfectly fit and healthy.
The vast majority of bowel cancers still affect those aged over 50.
But the disease in older groups has either declined or remained stable while diagnoses in younger people have risen.
So what is fuelling the trend? Theories have been put forward: antibiotic over-use, mobile phone radiation and even invisible particles of plastic in drinking water.
But a growing number of experts are pointing to one major cause: ultra-processed foods.
Also known as UPFs, these are ready-made foods — including bread, cereals, and even salad dressing — made with artificial ingredients used to preserve, add flavor and enhance texture.
Some have even gone as far as to say they could be as dangerous as tobacco — and should come with a cigarette-style health warning.
And, increasingly, some of Britain’s top cancer experts believe there is some truth to it.
Speaking to MailOnline earlier this year oncologist and Queen’s University Belfast professor Dr Joe O’Sullivan said: ‘The spike in young cancer rates has to be due to something we’re consuming,’ he said.
‘And ultra-processed foods are the biggest lifestyle change in the last 40 years.’
Britain’s best-known commentator on the topic, Dr Chris van Tulleken, whose book Ultra-Processed People was a best-seller last year has ‘no doubt’ that the two are connected.
‘We have more than a dozen good quality studies indicating a link between cancer and ultra-processed foods,’ he said.
‘Governments took action to reduce the number of people who smoke cigarettes based on far less evidence.’
Professor David Cunningham, consultant oncologist at The Royal Marsden, also said he was deeply concerned by the pattern.
