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Shirley Chung, Top Chef alum, undergoing chemo for stage 4 tongue cancer

July 31, 2024

Top Chef veteran Shirley Chung, 47, shared that she has stage 4 tongue cancer. In an emotional video on social media, Chung explained that she had a series of dental issues, including severely biting her tongue and fracturing her tooth, that eventually led her oral surgeon to discover a tumor under her tongue. Her cancer has spread into her lymph nodes. Chung’s doctors gave her two options: removal of her tongue, which has higher survival rates, or receive radiation and chemotherapy, a treatment that her doctors said a “unicorn case” at the University of Chicago underwent and eventually was cured.

“Higher survival rate, or keep my tongue? I chose to keep my tongue, I am a fighter, I am a chef, I can be that unicorn too,” she said. “I just finished 6 weeks of chemo (and have many more to go), going to the hospital 4 times a week for injections, it’s like a full-time job. My tumor is shrinking, my speech is much better, and I can eat most normal food now.”

“Your love and support will carry me through,” she wrote. “Cheer me on, Shirley Chung 2.0 will be reborn in 2025!”

Sources:

France, L. (2024, July 31). CNN. Shirley Chung of ‘Top Chef’ has stage 4 tongue cancer. https://www.cnn.com/2024/07/31/entertainment/shirley-chung-top-chef-cancer-wellness/index.html

Etienne, V. (2024, July 30). People. Top Chef alum Shirley Chung diagnosed with stage 4 tongue cancer: ‘I have a tough long road to recovery.’ https://people.com/top-chef-alum-shirley-chung-diagnosed-with-stage-4-tongue-cancer-8686273