"Top Chef" finalist and known cooking competitor Shirley Chung announced that she has been diagnosed with stage IV tongue cancer after experiencing a series of dental problems, including a tongue bite that didn't go away and a fractured tooth.
During a video Chung shared on social media in which she shaved her head, the chef explained that her dental problems started in December 2023 but at the time, she believed her heavy tooth grinding was the cause of her fractured tooth.
However, her problems worsened from there. She had a dental implant placed after the fractured tooth was extracted. Too busy to see a specialist, Chung later developed ulcers in her mouth, and her oral surgeon located "a hidden tumor" under her tongue, according to Chung's Instagram post. Symptoms of tongue cancer include sores or tongue bites and red and white patches in the mouth that don't heal.
A few days after the tumor was discovered, the 47-year-old was diagnosed with tongue cancer and was told it had spread to her lymph nodes. To avoid surgical removal of her tongue, Chung has opted for a treatment plan with a lower survival rate: chemotherapy and radiation. She already has completed six weeks of chemotherapy.
Chung, also known as the Dumpling Queen and executive chef and co-owner of Chinese American restaurant Ms Chi Cafe in Los Angeles, was a "Top Chef" finalist on season 11 and a competitor during season 14.
