Top Chef star Shirley Chung diagnosed with stage four tongue cancer Top Chef Alum Shirley Chong revealed she was diagnosed with stage four tongue cancer the chef who appeared on season 11 of the cooking competition series told her Instagram followers Friday that her doctors discovered the illness in December after she suffered a series of dental issues including biting her tongue severely and fracturing her tooth we thought it was because I am a heavy teeth grinder and I was too busy to see a EMT specialist she wrote alongside photos of herself and her partner Jimmy shaving their heads by May Chun said she had developed ulcers and found a hidden tumor under her tongue writing a few days later I was diagnosed stage four 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 she continued I was extremely focused on getting all the tests and scans as fast as possible so I can start on the treatment plans however when her doctor called on June 2nd to discuss her treatment options chunk broke down crying trying to put thoughts together and ask questions but physically couldn't all I heard was option one surgery 100% removal of your tongue Jimmy was holding it together for both of us asking if we have any option that I can keep my tongue in the survival rates she said