Celebrity3 min(s) read
Published 21:54 23 Apr 2026 GMT
Nicole ‘Snooki’ Polizzi reveals major decision to fans after cancer diagnosis
Nicole 'Snooki' Polizzi revealed earlier this year that she had been diagnosed with stage 1 cervical cancer, and she has continued to speak openly about her experience, and has now issued a major update.
The Jersey Shore star, who was diagnosed after delaying her routine Pap smear for over a year, recalled the moment, saying in an interview with PEOPLE, “I had a breakdown… I got to my car and I called my mom hysterically crying, thinking the worst.”
Polizzi's cancer diagnosis
For the past four years, Polizzi had been getting abnormal results showing precancerous cells. While she described them as “nothing crazy,” her doctor advised more frequent screenings every six months instead of the usual three years.
However, due to discomfort, she began avoiding appointments, saying, “I ended up not going for like a year and a half because it's uncomfortable, it's not fun.”
She knew the risk she was taking. “I knew something bad could happen, but instead of dealing with it, I just pretended it wasn't happening,” she said.
It took repeated calls from her doctor throughout 2025 to get her back in for testing. “My doctor was leaving me a voicemail screaming at me like, ‘You need to get in here. This is serious. You don't want it to escalate.’ That's when I finally went in,” she explained.
By then, doctors found “a ton” of precancerous cells. Further procedures, including a colposcopy and cone biopsy, which she described as “very unpleasant”, revealed “severe cancer cells” that could have spread if untreated.
Polizzi reveals major decision to fans
Fortunately, since receiving the diagnosis, follow-up tests have shown the cancer hasn’t spread. Doctors expect that after she undergoes a hysterectomy in the coming months, she won’t need further treatment. “I was scared,” she admitted, but added, “But you know what? It's not the worst case and I can still deal with it… I'm gonna be fine.”
While the physical side has been difficult, Polizzi said the emotional impact has been even harder, especially when explaining the situation to her children. “My two oldest were like, ‘Are you dying?’” she said. “But I was reassuring them like, ‘No, mommy's gonna be fine.’”
She credits her husband, Jionni LaValle, along with friends and family, for supporting her through the ordeal. “They knew I was freaking out… The best part about everything is realizing how many people care,” she said. “I have a ton of people that are here for me and they love me.”
Polizzi also found comfort in sharing her experience online. “I don't know anyone personally that has gone through this. So being able to read people's comments definitely helped me to just know that I'm not alone and everything's gonna be fine.”
Even so, she admits she’s anxious about the surgery ahead. “I'm not great with pain, so thinking about removing an organ is scary,” she said. “That's a part of being a woman… the thought of not being able to really upset me. It messes with you a little bit.”
In the meantime, she’s focusing on her health, eating better, cutting back on alcohol, and exercising regularly while managing her business, The Snooki Shop, and preparing for the final season of Jersey Shore: Family Vacation. “I talk to my doctor all the time now. I wanna be healthier,” she said. “I'm just trying to be the best version of myself because I'm getting older and I wanna age gracefully.”