Big Ang, star of VH1's "Mob Wives," was hospitalized Thursday for a lemon-size tumor in her throat that physicians later found to be cancerous.
The 54-year-old reality star, whose real is Angela Raiola, will likely have surgery next week to remove the tumor,
Raiola's sister Janine Detore told TMZ.
"We are hoping for the best and are focusing on getting through the holiday," Detore told the gossip site. "We love the fans and want to thank them."
Raiola, who's known for her signature raspy voice, has a long history of smoking and doctors have reportedly advised her to stop immediately. The tumor is reportedly attached to her voicebox, further deteriorating her voice.
Sources told TMZ that Raiola was preparing to appear on a different reality show when she began to experience pain in her neck this week. She was taken to a Staten Island hospital where doctors discovered the tumor.
Raiola joined other reality stars in Times Square Tuesday for AOL's "Death of Fake Reality TV" mock funeral event.
E! Online reported that Raiola kept her neck covered with a black top.
She was joined by other reality stars like Tila Tequila, "The Apprentice's" Omarosa, Ronnie Ortiz-Magro of "Jersey Shore," and Jon Gosselin of "Jon and Kate Plus Eight."
Tequila posted a photo of the reality gathering on her Instagram page.
Raiola has been a fixture on "Mob Wives" since the show debuted in 2011. She has also starred in two spinoffs — "Big Ang" in 2012 and 2013's "The Miami Monkey."
Big Ang owned a bar on Staten Island called the Drunken Monkey, but it closed last month unexpectedly,
according to an announcement on its Facebook page.
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