Hearing the word "cancer" from a doctor can send anyone into a full-blown spiral. This week, Jersey Shore's Snooki revealed that she got scary news that has left her stressed. She also used her platform to tell fans to stay on top of their health.
Snooki made a “get unready with me” admitting, “I wasn’t even thinking about making this video… I was freaking out about the news that I got." “It’s not easy being a woman, especially going to these appointments and going through uncomfortable situations."
She walked viewers through 3-4 years of abnormal Pap smears, precancerous cells, and invasive procedures, like the painful experience of getting a colposcopy. “They basically have to take a chunk out of your cervix. And you’re awake, by the way," she said, explaining that you're awake throughout the entire thing, and it's painful. "It wasn’t a great experience.”
The doctor called her later and said it didn't look great, and they found cancerous cells at the top of her cervix. He then recommended a cone biopsy; thankfully, this time, under anesthesia. "They take a cone biopsy of your cervix. So the top of my cervix will be cut out into, like, a cone shape that will be sent for a biopsy, and then to see if any cancer cells went further up," she explained.
Snooki said the cone biopsy is getting done soon and got emotional thinking about the thought of her having to get a hysterectomy, which is the surgical removal of the uterus and cervix. “Obviously, I’m done having kids, but as a woman, the thought of getting a hysterectomy and then not being able to have kids, I think that's what's killing me,” she said, tearing up.
She ended with an important message: “Ladies, stay on your appointments,” she said. “If your doctor calls you and you have to come in before the six months, do it.”
What to know about cervical cancer
Cervical cancer is the fourth most common cancer in women worldwide, with about 660,000 new cases and 350,000 deaths globally in 2022, but it’s also one of the most preventable and treatable cancers when caught early.
Regular screening with a Pap test or HPV test helps detect precancerous changes long before they become cancer, and studies show that consistent screening can reduce cervical cancer incidence and deaths by at least 80 %.
In the U.S., current guidelines recommend starting Pap testing at age 21, with Pap tests alone every 3 years, or combined Pap/HPV testing every 5 years for women ages 30–65.
A significant portion of women delay or skip screenings, which increases risk, making routine appointments a key part of prevention.