The cervical cancer symptoms to look for after Jersey Shore star Snooki reveals diagnosis

Nicole “Snooki” Polizzi, 38, most known for being on the reality show Jersey Shore, revealed in a TikTok posted Friday that she has been diagnosed with cervical cancer.

In the post, she explained that she had a cone biopsy, which requires a cone-shaped piece of tissue to be removed from the cervix and examined.

“It came back stage 1 cervical cancer called adenocarcinoma,” Polizzi told her followers. “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!”

The reality star continued, saying her next step would be to receive a PET scan to determine if the cancer has spread to other parts of her body, and then likely undergo a hysterectomy to remove her uterus and cervix to avoid chemotherapy and radiation. She also emphasized how important it is for women to receive their regular Pap smears.

“I’m 38 years old, and I’ve been struggling with abnormal pap smears for three or four years now, and now look at me,” she said. “Instead of putting it off because I didn’t want to go, because I was hurt and scared, I just went and did it. And it was there, cancer is in there. But it’s stage 1 and it’s curable.”

Cervical cancer is a growth of cells starting in the cervix, the lower part of the vagina, according to the Mayo Clinic.

As the organization explains: “Most cervical cancers are caused by HPV. HPV is a common virus that's passed through sexual contact. For most people, the virus never causes problems. It usually goes away on its own. For some, though, the virus can cause changes in the cells that may lead to cancer.”

However, there are other potential factors that may increase a person’s risk of contracting cervical cancer, including smoking tobacco, increasing the number of sexual partners and having a weakened immune system.

While there may not be initial symptoms during the early stages of cervical cancer, the Columbia University Hebert Irving Comprehensive Cancer Center said there may be physical symptoms once the cancer has invaded deeper into the cervix or nearby organs.

A doctor’s visit is suggested if a person is experiencing any of the following symptoms: pelvic pain, pain during intercourse, vaginal bleeding or spotting — especially after vaginal intercourse, in between menstrual periods, or after menopause — menstrual periods that are heavier or last longer than usual, or vaginal discharge that has a foul odor.

The most common method of preventing cervical cancer is having a routine pap smear to detect any precancerous conditions in the cervix. It is recommended by the Mayo Clinic that a Pap smear be given every few years, starting at age 21.