Top Chef star Shirley CH diagnosed with stage four tongue cancer Top Chef star Shirley Chung has shared that she is battling stage four tongue cancer the chef announced the news in an insagram post Friday and told fans that she was diagnosed after suffering from a series of dental issues since December 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 wrote and I was too busy to see a EMT specialist the end of May ulcers erupted in my mouth and my oral surgeon discovered a hidden tumor under my tongue a few days later I was diagnosed stage four tongue cancer as cancer cells also spread into my lymph nodes according to the Cleveland Clinic tongue cancer is one of the most common types of head and neck cancers but makes up less than 1% of new diagnoses in the US need a break play the USA Today daily crossword puzzle Chun said that she discussed treatment plans in June with her doctor who said the first option was surgery to completely remove her tongue her other option was described as a unicorn case as at the University of Chicago a patient who happened to also be a chef was cured with radiation and chemotherapy she decided to pursue this course of ction in hopes of not having to lose her tongue dot Top Chef host Christen Kish on replacing padmakshi what to expect from season 21 higher survival rate or keep my tongue She Wrote I chose to keep my tongue I am a fighter I am a chef I can be that unicorn too Chun said she has now completed six weeks of chemotherapy but has many more to go and she is going to the hospital four times a week for injection c s her tumor is now shrinking Her speech is much better and she can eat most normal food but I have a tough long road to recovery in front of me she said