Tejal Somvanshi
Nicole “Snooki” Polizzi announced this week that she has been declared cancer-free following treatment for stage 1 cervical cancer diagnosed earlier in 2026. Her treatment included a hysterectomy. She is continuing regular Pap smear monitoring.
Polizzi, 38, shared the update through an interview with People and separately with TODAY. She described her diagnosis as stage 1 — the earliest stage of invasive cervical cancer, indicating the cancer had not spread beyond the cervix at the time of detection. Early-stage cervical cancer is associated with significantly better treatment outcomes than late-stage diagnoses. Her treatment required a hysterectomy, which is one of several treatment approaches for cervical cancer depending on the stage, location, and whether the patient wants to preserve fertility.
Polizzi, who has three children, has spoken openly about the decision. Polizzi said her doctors told her she would need Pap smears every three months during follow-up.
Cervical cancer screening can detect precancerous changes and early-stage disease. The Pap smear, also called a Pap test, looks for abnormal cells on the cervix before they become cancerous or at very early stages. The US Preventive Services Task Force recommends Pap smears every three years for women aged 21 to 65, or every five years combined with HPV testing for those 30 to 65. Most cervical cancers develop slowly from pre-cancerous changes that can be caught and treated during this screening window. For more on cervical cancer screening guidelines and when to schedule a Pap smear, see our women’s health screening guide. For information on HPV vaccination and its role in cervical cancer prevention, see our HPV guide.
Polizzi’s next health update has not been publicly scheduled.
Primary source: official source.
