"Dawson's Creek" star James Van Der Beek has candidly revealed that he is battling colorectal cancer, sharing his diagnosis in a heartfelt Instagram post along with images of himself taken in and around his Austin, TX, ranch.

“It is cancer,” James Van Der Beek shared with his 1.5 million Instagram followers ... and went trick-or-treating with the kids in their adopted home state of Texas. “I believe it’s healthy to dress up and play make-believe every once in a while ...

The actor learned he had stage 3 colorectal cancer at 46. Now he's managing the diagnosis by leaning on the love of his family and making positive changes

James Van Der Beek is opening up about his colorectal cancer diagnosis -- hoping to raise awareness about the disease.

(NEXSTAR) — James Van Der Beek, well known for his roles in “Dawson’s Creek” and “Varsity Blues,” has revealed that he has been diagnosed with colorectal cancer.

The “Dawson’s Creek” alum and Kimberly, who wed in August 2010, have welcomed Olivia, Joshua, Annabel, Emilia, Gwendolyn and Jeremiah.

In an interview with PEOPLE for its latest cover story, James Van Der Beek shared that he had a vasectomy a few years ago, long before he received his colorectal cancer diagnosis, and opened up about the decision.

"I’ve been privately dealing with this diagnosis and have been taking steps to resolve it," James Van Der Beek said.

Actor James Van Der Beek, 47, revealed he was diagnosed with colorectal cancer. “I’ve been dealing with this pretty much in secret for a while,” he said. He detailed his symptoms and diagnosis. In August of last year,