LeAnn Rimes Reveals She Underwent Cervical Surgery To Remove Precancerous Cells
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LeAnn Rimes shared that she underwent "minor surgery" to remove precancerous cells.
The singer explained on Instagram that her pap smear came back abnormal, and she was diagnosed with high-grade cervical dysplasia.
She consulted her doctor and they decided a LEEP procedure would be best for her.
Over the weekend, singer LeAnn Rimes revealed in an Instagram post that she underwent "minor surgery" to remove precancerous cells after her annual pap smear came back abnormal.
The 41-year-old shared two pictures of herself in a woodsy area, basking in the sun. In her caption, LeAnn wrote, "January is usually a challenging month for me. Over the past couple of years, I’ve either been going through dental surgeries or recovering from a vocal hemorrhage around this time, which was all pretty depressing." This year, however, she said the month has been "joyful and easeful" for her.
"However, yesterday, I underwent a minor surgery and I wanted to share what I went in for because I think it’s an important reminder to get our annual screenings in order to catch changes that may be taking place within the body early on," she continued in her caption.
The "How Do I Live" singer explained that a few months ago she had her annual pap smear, and her results came back abnormal. "In fact, I’ve had abnormal paps since I was 17 and through regular pap smears and colposcopies, my doctors have been keeping an eye on any cellular changes," she said.
An abnormal pap smear can be caused by a few things, including cancerous cells, cervical and vaginal abnormalities, as well as precancerous cells, and inflammation from yeast infections, bacteria, and even pregnancy, per Columbia University Irving Medical Center.
The lab testing from LeAnn's pap smear sample and a colposcopy (a procedure to examine the vagina and the cervix) led to her being diagnosed with high-grade cervical dysplasia, a precancerous condition where there are abnormal cells found on the cervix, according to Johns Hopkins Medicine.
After the diagnosis, the two-time Grammy Award winner explained that she consulted with her doctor, and they "jointly decided that a LEEP procedure would be in [LeAnn's] best interest in order to remove the high grade, abnormal, pre-cancerous cells." LEEP, or loop electrosurgical excision procedure, "uses a wire loop heated by electric current" to burn off the abnormal cells and tissue found on the cervix, per Johns Hopkins Medicine.
The procedure is normally done while the patient is awake; however, the singer shared that she elected to be put under anesthesia. "I’ve had enough trauma in my life already, so I prefer to be out and comfortable. That, my friends, is advocating for your overall, mental wellness and comfort and I HIGHLY recommend it!" she explained.
LeAnn also shared that she "has always open about my health challenges," from psoriasis to vocal rest to mental health, and "this time around is no different." Now, she's using her public platform to raise awareness about "women’s wellness and the importance of annual screenings and early detection."
LeAnn continued with a heartfelt, yet playful, health message for everyone. "So, ladies, please don’t put off getting your annual pap. my men, too… make sure you get your annual physical, minus the pap smear 😂," she wrote, before noting that in the early stages of cervical cancer, there usually aren't any symptoms. "...annual screenings and early detection can be lifesaving."
Cervical cancer starts in the cells of the cervix (the lower part of the uterus) and is mainly caused by certain types of human papillomavirus (HPV), according to the Centers for Disease Control. The CDC also reports anyone with a cervix over the age of 30 is at risk for this type of cancer.
The Academy of Country Music Award musician ended her caption with a healthy dose of humor: "The more shares and conversations we have around women’s wellness, the more we take the ewww factor out of talking about vaginas and put the power back in our hands, to be able to take the best care of our bodies that we can."
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