Former ‘Top Chef’ Personality Shirley Chung Has Stage 4 Tongue Cancer: “I Have A Tough Long Road To Recovery In Front Of Me”

Shirley Chung is speaking out about her stage 4 tongue cancer diagnosis.

The former Top Chef personality broke the “personal news” publicly on Instagram on Friday (July 26), sharing what led her to the diagnosis, per Us Weekly .

“Since last year December, I had a series of dental issues, I bit my tongue severely; I fractured my tooth and had to extract it and get an implant… we thought it was because I am a heavy teeth grinder,” she explained.

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While she noted that she “was too busy to see a EMT specialist,” her oral surgeon found a tumor hidden under tongue at the end of May.

“A few days later, I was diagnosed, stage 4 tongue cancer, as cancer cells also spread into my lymph nodes,” she continued.

Her oncologist shared treatment options with her in June, though Chung recalled that she “broke down, crying, trying to put thoughts together and ask questions but physically couldn’t, all [she] heard was ‘option 1, surgery, 100% removal of your tongue.'”

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However, after asking about the option to keep her tongue and the survival rates, she was informed of a “unicorn case,” in which a patient — who also happened to be a chef — was cured at the University of Chicago “with radiation and chemo.”

“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 wrote.

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Chung revealed that she “just finished 6 weeks of Chemo (and have many more to go),” and has been “going to the hospital 4 times a week for injections,” likening the process to “a full time job.” However, she cited some positive results.

“My tumor is shrinking, my speech is much better and I can eat most normal food now,” she continued. “I am learning to lean on others, to let go, to be more vulnerable ….. it took me 2 weeks of contemplating to decide to tell my parents about my cancer, only my close circle of friends and my sister have known until now. I am learning, I can be strong 98% of the time, it’s ok to be not ok. I have a tough long road to recovery in front of me. Your love and support will carry me through. Cheer me on, Shirley Chung 2.0 will be reborn in 2025!”

Her restaurant Ms. Chi Cafe, located in Culver City, Calif., also announced on Instagram that they will be closing on Aug. 4 so that Chung “can focus on recovery.”

Chung competed on a recent installment of Bobby’s Triple Threat , and has also appeared on Top Chef Jr. , Hell’s Kitchen , Top Chef Amateurs , Top Chef Family Style , My World Chef , Superchef Grudge Match , Tournament of Champions , Wildcard Kitchen and Selena + Chef .

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