Originally published on 2/24/26

On February 20, reality TV star Nicole “Snooki” Polizzi announced on TikTok that she was diagnosed with a type of cervical cancer called adenocarcinoma after getting results from a recent biopsy. The 38-year-old is best known for starring in the reality show Jersey Shore. 

“Obviously not the news I’ve been hoping for, but also not the worst news just because they caught it so early. Thank freaking God,” Polizzi said on TikTok. “A lot of women go through it silently without anyone to talk to and they’re scared by themselves. And that was me until I decided to upload the video about what was happening with me.” 

Below, we dive deeper into Polizzi’s health journey and share what women need to know about screening for cervical cancer. 

Snooki cancer diagnosis: How abnormal pap smears caught it early

Before being diagnosed with cervical cancer, Polizzi revealed that she had been “struggling with abnormal Pap smears for three or four years now.” (Learn more about Pap smears vs. at-home HPV screenings).

Working with her doctor, she got a cone biopsy, a procedure that removes a piece of cervical tissue shaped like a cone to check for precancerous cells, which ultimately revealed that she has stage 1 cervical cancer.  

During that procedure, Polizzi also revealed that the doctors “took out what was, like, the tumor, the cancer that was in there, but then around it was clear. So there were no cancer cells on that, which means it didn’t go up into the cervix, which is a good thing.” 

Currently, Polizzi is planning on getting a hysterectomy followed by a positron emission tomography (PET) scan to make sure that the cancer hasn’t spread to any other parts of her body. “Obviously, I think the smart choice here is the hysterectomy. I’ll still keep my ovaries, which is a good sign,” she said. “But yeah, gotta get the cervix and uterus out… It all depends on the PET scan.”

The importance of regular cancer screenings 

Since her abnormal Pap smears were the first clue in helping doctors detect Polizzi’s cervical cancer, the mom of three is now urging others to “go get your appointments done, b-tches.” 

“That’s why I’m literally telling you guys to get your pap smears done. I’m 38 years old,”  Polizzi continued. “And now look at me. Instead of just putting it off because I didn’t want to go and it hurt and I was scared, no, I just went and did it. And it was there, cancer’s in there and it’s only stage 1 and it’s curable if I do all the things right.” 

As of publication, Polizzi has not shared if she has had any cervical cancer symptoms aside from abnormal Pap smears. She has also not shared when she plans to get her hysterectomy and PET scan. 

How often should you get a Pap smear?

According to the latest CDC guidance, women should start getting Pap smears at age 21. If your results are normal, you can repeat the screening in three years. If your results are abnormal, like Polizzi’s were, your doctor may recommend follow-up testing or more frequent screenings.

Between age 30 and 65, you have three options:

• You can continue getting a Pap test every three years if your results are normal
• You can get an HPV test and repeat every five years if your results are normal
• You can get a combination Pap and HPV screening and repeat every five years if your results are normal

Talk to your doctor to find out out which screening option is best for you. Over 65? Your doctor may determine that you no longer need screenings if you’ve had at least three normal Pap smears or two negative HPV tests in the past 10 years, you have not had cervical pre-cancer in the past and/or your cervix was removed during a hysterectomy for non-cancerous reasons.

Understanding your cervical cancer risk

Cervical cancer, which develops in the lower part of a woman’s uterus, is the fourth most common cancer in women globally, according to the World Health Organization. This type of cancer is almost always caused by the human papillomavirus (HPV), an incredibly common virus transmitted through sexual contact. Most of the time, the virus clears on its own. However, some strains can lead to cervical, anal and vaginal cancers, among others. 

“The average age of a patient with a new cervical cancer is 50, with most cases occurring between the ages of 35 and 55. Snooki certainly falls in the lower bracket of this range, but we can see cases in women in their 30s,” says Mitchell Clark, MD, MPH, gynecologic oncologist for Yale Cancer Center. “Fortunately, there has been a slow but steady decline in the rates of cervical cancer, but a rise in cases of more advanced stage—these tend to be occurring in younger women more than older.” 

7 cervical cancer symptoms you shouldn’t ignore

“Early cervical cancer often has no symptoms, that’s why [regular] screening matters so much,” says Daniel Landau, MD, oncologist, hematologist and expert contributor at The Mesothelioma Center at Asbestos.com. “Women should be screened even if everything feels normal.” 

When symptoms do occur, though, Dr. Landau says they often appear in the following ways: 

• Bleeding after intercourse
• Bleeding between periods
• Heavier or longer periods
• Postmenopausal bleeding
• Pelvic pain
• Pain during intercourse
• Unusual vaginal discharge (sometimes watery or bloody)

Your guide to the HPV vaccine

The HPV vaccine, Gardasil, is typically administered between the ages of 9 to 12. If you didn’t get the vaccine during that time, there is a chance you can still get it—you just might need more than one dose. 

“People in their mid to late 30s likely did not get routinely vaccinated for HPV, as it was first approved in 2006 and initially offered to just adolescent girls. Now, it is offered to boys and girls aged 9 to 26, but can be approved for men and women up to the age of 45 if they and their doctor decide they are a good candidate,” says Dr. Clark. “The vaccine is highly effective at providing immunity against the virus and reducing the risk of cancer. It has 20 years of safety data, making it an important cancer-fighting vaccine.” 

Dr. Clark also notes that “After the age of 30, HPV testing should be included with the Pap smear, and screening intervals can typically be safely extended to every five years if the results are normal. HPV testing is not routinely done in ages less than 30, as the HPV virus is extremely common and most healthy young people will get rid of it spontaneously with their immune system before it has a chance to cause any problems.” 

How to reduce your cervical cancer risk

As for what you can do to lower your cancer risk, aside from keeping up with routine Pap smears and getting the HPV vaccine (if applicable), some supplements may help. 

“Outside of vaccination, there have been some studies showing that, compared to placebo, certain health food supplements such as the mushroom extract AHCC as well as folic acid have been shown to enhance the body’s ability to get rid of the HPV virus and therefore reducing someone’s risk of cervical cancer,” says Dr. Clark.

Link to original: https://www.womansworld.com/wellness/cancer/snooki-cervical-cancer-warning-sign