'Top Chef' Star Shirley Chung Reveals Stage 4 Cancer Diagnosis
She opted for a risky "unicorn" treatment over complete removal of her tongue.
Top Chef star Shirley Chung, who appeared on seasons 11 and 14 of the popular Bravo reality cooking series, revealed this week that she's battling stage 4 tongue cancer.
The 47-year-old made the shocking confession on Instagram, where she posted photos and video of herself shaving her head amid chemotherapy treatments. In the caption, Chung explained that she had been having a series of dental issues since last December, including biting her tongue "severely" and fracturing her tooth, which had be extracted and replaced with an implant. At the time, she said she assumed it was because she's a "heavy teeth grinder" but was too busy to see a specialist.
"[At] the end of May, ulcers erupted in my mouth and my oral surgeon discovered a hidden tumor under my tongue," she wrote. "A few days later, I was diagnosed, stage 4 tongue cancer, as cancer cells also spread into my lymph nodes."
"I was very calm when doctors delivered the news, as a chef, I’ve always thrive under pressure," Chung continued. "I was extremely focused on getting all the tests and scans as fast as possible, so I can start on the treatment plans."
When her lead oncologist at Cedar Sinai called to discuss treatment plans, Chung recalled being given the first option, which was 100 percent removal of her tongue. She was, however, also told that there was another option that was a "unicorn case" at the University of Chicago in which a patient who was also a chef with a similar diagnosis was cured 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 says now that she's just completed six weeks of chemo with many more to go, and that going to the hospital four times a week for injections is "like a full time job." Yet, her tumor is shrinking and she speech has improved, and can eat most normal food now.
"I am learning to lean on others, to let go, to be more vulnerable," she concluded the post. "It took me two 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 percent of the time, it’s OK to be not OK."
"I have a tough long road to recovery in front of me," Chung added. "Your love and support will carry me through. Cheer me on, Shirley Chung 2.0 will be reborn in 2025!"
In addition to Top Chef: New Orleans and Top Chef: Charleston, Chung has also appeared on Top Chef Amateurs, Food Network's Tournament of Champions, hosted by Guy Fieri; as well as a handful of guest judge appearances on series such as Hell's Kitchen and Top Chef Family Style.