James Van Der Beek 'Feeling Good' in Spite of Colorectal Cancer Diagnosis

"Dawson's Creek" star James Van Der Beek, 47, has announced he is battling cancer.

Talking exclusively to People magazine, the actor said, "I have colorectal cancer. I’ve been privately dealing with this diagnosis and have been taking steps to resolve it, with the support of my incredible family."

Seeking to reassure his fans, he added, “There’s reason for optimism, and I’m feeling good."

Van Der Beek tells the outlet he has been prioritizing his wife Kimberly and their six children while undergoing treatment, but he has also made time to continue working.

James also took to Instagram to share, "Each year, approximately 2 billion people around the world receive this diagnosis. And I’m one of them. There’s no playbook for how announce these things, but I’d planned on talking about it at length with People magazine at some point soon… to raise awareness and tell my story on my own terms. But that plan had to be altered early this morning when I was informed that a tabloid was going to run with the news."

He continued, "I’ve been dealing with this privately until now, getting treatment and dialing in my overall health with greater focus than ever before. I’m in a good place and feeling strong. It’s been quite the initiation, and I’ll tell you more when I’m ready."

James also added, "Apologies to all the people in my life who I’d planned on telling myself. Nothing about this process has occurred on my preferred timeline… But we roll with it, taking each surprise as a signpost, pointing us toward a greater destiny than we would have discovered without divine intervention. Please know that my family and I deeply appreciate all the love and support."

Merging work with his health, Van Der Beek will strip for charity on "The Real Full Monty" next month. The two-hour special, named for the popular 1997 film that led to an equally successful 2000 musical, will feature male celebs losing their clothes to raise cash for prostate, testicular, and colorectal cancer testing and research.

The show will premiere on December 9.