Latest news with #ShirleyChung
New York Post
11-05-2025
- Health
- New York Post
3 subtle signs of tongue cancer as ‘Top Chef' alum Shirley Chung shares cancer update
Shirley Chung is serving up more than Michelin-star meals, she's delivering news of her most recent major triumph — defeating tongue cancer. Last summer, the 'Top Chef' alum announced she had been diagnosed with stage 4 tongue cancer, after doctors found a 'hidden tumor' on her tongue. Recently, she took to Instagram with the happy update that she is now in remission. Advertisement 3 ' I am in 100% Remission!' she wrote on Instagram. Shirley Chung/Instagram 'I just completed my 6 month scans, I can proudly say, no cancer cell was detected in my body, I am in 100% Remission!!🦄,' Chung wrote. 'I am still healing, learning to speak again and started to have solid food 2 meals a day. Dr Vokes said I need to continue to get tests and scans for 2 years, then I will be officially cured. But I am feeling great, and can't wait to get back to life!' Advertisement She also shared some details of her journey, which included needing to make the terrifying decision of whether to try radiation and chemotherapy treatment or the option that had a higher survival rate — cutting out her entire tongue. The tumor 'was progressing so aggressively that in less than 1 week of the diagnosis, it took over almost my entire tongue,' she wrote, noting that '100% removal of my tongue was not an option for me as a chef.' So she moved to Chicago to begin treatment and is now in recovery. 3 'I am feeling great, and can't wait to get back to life!' she wrote. Shirley Chung/Instagram Advertisement Tongue cancer, a type of oral cancer, can be easy to miss in its early stages — and that's exactly why it can be so dangerous. According to the Mayo Clinic, three subtle symptoms include: A persistent sore or ulcer A small sore on the tongue that doesn't heal within two weeks may be more than just a bite injury. Especially if it's painless, this can be an early red flag. Unexplained pain or numbness Advertisement Tingling, burning or numbness in the tongue or mouth can sometimes signal nerve involvement. Even mild discomfort that lingers should raise concern. A change in texture or color A white or red patch, thickening of the tongue, or a rough surface can be a warning sign. These subtle shifts are easy to dismiss — but shouldn't be. 3 Last summer, the 'Top Chef' alum announced she had been diagnosed with stage 4 tongue cancer, after doctors found a 'hidden tumor' on her tongue. Shirley Chung/Instagram Another early symptom can be a painful lump on the tongue, while other signs — such as difficulty swallowing, pain in the ear, feeling like something is stuck in your throat and changes in voice — can indicate the cancer has already progressed. Tongue cancer that begins in the mouth is easier to spot than tongue cancer that starts in the throat, which is often only caught after the cancer has spread. Tongue cancer is relatively rare but on the rise, especially among younger adults without traditional risk factors like smoking. Early detection greatly improves outcomes, making awareness critical. If you notice changes in your mouth that don't go away, don't just brush it off — speak with a healthcare provider.
Epoch Times
10-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Epoch Times
‘Top Chef' Alum Reveals Stage 4 Cancer Is in Remission: ‘Can't Wait to Get Back to Life'
Celebrity chef Shirley Chung has shared a positive update on her health nearly a year after being diagnosed with stage 4 tongue cancer. 'Introducing Shirley Chung 2.0 ... I am in 100% remission!' the 48-year-old Chung, who is known for her appearances on Bravo's 'Top Chef' and the Food Network's 'House of Knives,' among other cooking shows, was diagnosed with squamous cell carcinoma on May 30, 2024. She shared the news with her social media followers that July, revealing the cancer had spread to her lymph nodes. 'The tumor was hidden on the bottom left of my tongue, and it was progressing so aggressively that in less than one week of the diagnosis, it took over almost my entire tongue,' she penned in her recent post. Chung decided against undergoing surgery to completely remove her tongue. Instead, she and her husband, Jimmy Lee, shuttered their restaurant in Culver City, California, Ms. Chi Cafe, and moved to Illinois so the television personality could receive radiation and chemotherapy treatments at the University of Chicago. 'I completed nine weeks, 27 chemos, then 10 weeks 50 radiation and 24 hour chemo drip,' she recounted. 'My first three month scans came back 98% cleared, only two of my left lymph nodes had cancer cells. I just completed my six month scans, I can proudly say, no cancer cell was detected in my body.' Related Stories 3/5/2025 4/2/2025 Chung is still on the road to recovery. Although she is now able to consume solid meals, having had her feeding tube removed early last month, she must relearn how to speak. 'I need to continue to get tests and scans for two years, then I will be officially cured,' she wrote. 'But I am feeling great, and can't wait to get back to life!' Chung, who immigrated to the United States from Beijing at age 17, concluded her update by expressing gratitude to those who supported her over the past year. 'In my cancer journey, so many of you reaching out, checking on me, digging me out when I was depressed. Your love, your prayers, your support carried me forward, helped me heal, helped me always see the light,' she wrote. '2.0 is stronger because I am powered by all of your love. Sincerely thank you from the bottom of my heart. I will share details of my fighting journey in the next few weeks, and I hope it will help other cancer warriors, it's time for me to pay it forward.'
