‘Tournament of Champions’ Star Shirley Chung, 49, Explains the Reason She’s Able to Compete Again Is Her ‘Army of Chef Friends’ Supporting Her Through Stage 4 Cancer Treatment
‘Tournament of Champions’ Star Shirley Chung, 49, Explains the Reason She’s Able to Compete Again Is Her ‘Army of Chef Friends’ Supporting Her Through Stage 4 Cancer Treatment
Famous chef Shirley Chung, 49, returns to “Tournament of Champions” after surviving stage 4 tongue cancer, crediting fellow chefs with helping fund her treatment and keeping her grounded through months of chemotherapy and radiation.
Now 16 months cancer‑free, she says the support that carried her through fears of losing her ability to taste, speak, or even survive is the reason she’s able to compete again on season 7. Diagnosed in July 2024, Chung chose a rare chemo‑radiation path—dubbed a “unicorn case”—to preserve her tongue, opposed to having her tongue surgically removed.
Radiation treatment quickly felt overwhelming, from severe mouth burns and rapid weight loss to relying on a feeding tube, bonding with a fellow patient, and enduring what she described as the most painful weeks of her life.
After 20 weeks of chemotherapy and 50 rounds of radiation, Chung rang the cancer bell with her tongue intact, declaring she “fought like a chef” and is now focused on recovery—“Shirley 2.0 coming soon.”
According to the National Cancer Institute, HPV is linked to several cancers, including cervical and throat cancers.
The HPV vaccine—such as Gardasil 9—protects against nine strains of the virus, including HPV 16, which is responsible for 92% of head and neck cancers. It’s a powerful tool in cancer prevention.
Shirley Chung is stepping back into the spotlight with a fierceness shaped by survival. After enduring a grueling stage 4 tongue cancer battle, the 49-year-old “Top Chef” alum is returning to competition on the new season of “Tournament of Champions”—a comeback she credits to the very chefs she’s now facing.
“The reason I am standing, cancer-free for 16 months, cooking and competing again is because of the chefs of TOC,” she shared on Instagram.
Chung announced she was diagnosed with tongue cancer in July 2024, although her symptoms resulting in dental issues began several months earlier. After her diagnosis, she says she was left with two options: surgically remove her tongue or try chemotherapy and radiation therapy.
“I had to close my restaurant in LA and move to Chicago for my cancer treatment. Guy and the chefs put together a fundraiser last year during season 6. With the money they raised, I was able to pay for all the treatments that I needed, so I didn’t have to stress about finances,” Chung explained.
“All the love, support, and prayers are what rebuilt me, propelling me forward; each and every one of you is the reason I am alive, well, and continuing upwards!”
“Last season, I didn’t know if I could ever taste or talk again, I didn’t know if I would be alive. Now, I am standing proud on the stage of TOC 7,” Chung said graciously.
It’s unclear what contributed to Chung’s diagnosis at this time.
She asked her doctor about her options, and she learned of the “unicorn case.”
“At the University of Chicago, they cured a patient (a chef!) with radiation and chemo, but you will have to go to Chicago.” 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,” Chung said in an Instagram post detailing her conversation.
Once in Chicago and treatment was getting underway, Chung shared that by her second week in patient care, the physical toll of radiation had already become overwhelming.
“Blisters were starting to form in my mouth, really feeling the radiation burn,” she recalled in an Instagram post documenting her cancer journey.
“Drinking water felt like pouring salt on my raw tongue, and I lost ten pounds in one week. I asked for a G-tube.” The feeding tube would soon become essential to her survival.
During treatment, Chung found comfort in a new companion—Aubryn, a fellow tongue cancer patient who was just one week ahead of her in the grueling regimen.
With both women struggling to speak, they relied on a notepad to communicate, scribbling down foods they dreamed of eating again and even planning a future girls’ trip to New York.
“We were surviving this together,” Chung said.
But the hardest stretch was still ahead. Chung described the next phase as “the most painful three weeks of my life.”
Radiation ravaged the inside and outside of her mouth and neck, leaving her unable to speak or swallow. She depended on a suction machine to prevent choking on blood and mucus. Pain management became a full-time battle.
“I started on a fentanyl patch with morphine every 2.5 hours… and pouring lidocaine down my throat. Three weeks of time were a blur. I wanted to scream, but I was in too much pain.”
She needed a gastrointestinal feeding tube (G-tube) to get the necessary nutrition she needed for sustenance.
“Medicine, meal replacement shakes, water—everything was going through a G-tube,” she said. It stabilized her weight and allowed her body to begin healing.
Nights were relentless.
“Waking up every two hours to cough up blood and clean my burns, apply lidocaine, burn gel, and self-inject morphine,” she wrote, describing a cycle of pain and maintenance that left little room for rest.
(Instagram/@chfshirleychung)
Returning to the oncology ward brought an unexpected sense of comfort.
“I actually missed my nurses,” Chung said. “They pampered me with all the cooling gel pads, lotions, and creams.”
The effects of treatment extended beyond her face—her hands, nails, and toes darkened from the 24-hour chemotherapy drip.
Despite the tough treatment, Chung emerged on the other side where she was able to defiantly ring the cancer bell with a smile.
“I completed 20 weeks of chemo, 50 rounds of radiation, and still have my whole tongue.”
She’s hopeful her sense of taste will eventually return, and in true chef fashion, she declared her fighting spirit intact: “Tongue cancer picked the wrong person; I fought like a chef.”
Understanding Tongue Cancer and How to Manage Treatment Side Effects
According to StatPearls, a peer-reviewed medical journal, “Tongue cancer is one of the most common sites of head and neck malignancy. Smoking, drinking alcohol, and, more recently, human papilloma virus infection are recognized as the major risk factors for the development of tongue cancer.”
While radiation (also called radiotherapy) aims to focus on the cancer cells, nearby healthy tissues may also be impacted.
WATCH: What does radiotherapy feel like for the patient?
According to the National Cancer Institute, typical side effects of radiation to the head and neck may include:
Fatigue
Hair loss
Changes to the skin or sense of taste
Difficulty swallowing
Mouth issues
A less active thyroid gland
“Radiation therapy is actually ionizing energy, where energy goes through your body, essentially causes DNA damage,” Radiation Oncologist Dr. Subhakar Mutyala explained to SurvivorNet.
“It is a treatment where you don’t feel the treatment itself. Now, sometimes, you might feel the place where we place the tumor. If we’re placing applicators in the cancer, you might feel that. Or if you’re lying on a table and we’re holding you still, you might feel that. But the actual treatment is just ionizing energy,” Dr. Mutyala continued.
WATCH: Managing chemotherapy side effects.
Chemotherapy impacts both cancer cells and healthy tissue nearby.
Common chemotherapy side effects may include:
Fatigue
Hair loss
Nausea and vomiting
Changes in appetite
Diarrhea
Mouth sores
SurvivorNet experts say the best way to manage chemotherapy side effects is to prepare for them. For nausea, doctors will usually prescribe effective medications, including Zofran.
“We have many, many, many medications that we give before, during, and after chemotherapy that should minimize the nausea that patients experience,” Mayo Clinic otolaryngologist Dr. Matthew L. Carlson explained.
Several medications are available for constipation and diarrhea, though doctors may recommend dietary modifications first.
Dr. Carlson says that some patients may find it helpful to complement their treatment with supplements such as the herb American Ginseng to help manage fatigue. This herb has health benefits, including stress management and immune system support.
Coping With Treatment Side Effects that Impact the Mouth
“Your tongue starts to feel super wrong, kind of like you put it against a shredder or something,” Dr. Danoosh Amrooei, a breast cancer survivor and dentist at Monaco Dentistry in Apollo Beach, Florida, previously told SurvivorNet.
“Depending on the chemo, your side effects could be better or worse, but I know with the chemo that I underwent that you get really sensitive teeth and gums; even something like brushing your teeth becomes really painful.”
Dr. Christina Wood, a dentist at Station Dental in Colorado, told SurvivorNet that she recommends that all chemo patients visit the dentist before treatment.
In addition to a regular check-up, individuals should also request a fluoride treatment, said Dr. Wood.
“These provide a high dose of fluoride for your teeth to help increase mineralization of the enamel [strengthen the teeth] and prevent mucositis [painful mouth inflammation],” she explained in a previous interview with SurvivorNet.
She also shared a list of tips for once chemo starts to mitigate pain and keep the mouth clean:
Try to have a dental exam and teeth cleaning before chemo starts
Steer clear of mouthwash with alcohol in it; this can be extremely painful for sensitive gums and teeth
Stay away from spicy and acidic foods, which can exacerbate pain
Try eating foods that can soothe the mouth, such as dairy items
Keep different toothpaste options as your taste buds change during chemo, and certain flavors might suddenly become unappealing.
Steer clear of whitening toothpaste, which has more grit and can further irritate the gums.
If your treatment is making you vomit frequently, try mixing 1/4 teaspoon of baking soda with 1/8 teaspoon of salt and 1 cup of warm water as a mouth rinse; this can help make your mouth less acidic, which can protect the enamel on your teeth.
HPV-Linked Head and Neck Cancers Have Surged 300% Since the 1980s, Experts Warn
The rate of HPV-related head and neck cancers has skyrocketed over the past few decades—a trend that has medical experts sounding the alarm.
“From the 1980s to the 2010s, the rate of HPV-related head and neck cancers has gone up by 300 percent,” said Dr. Ted Teknos, a head and neck cancer specialist and president and scientific director of University Hospitals Seidman Cancer Center in Cleveland, Ohio, in an interview with SurvivorNet.
While not all oral cancers are caused by the human papillomavirus (HPV)—the most common sexually transmitted infection in the U.S.—there is a well-established link between the virus and certain types of head and neck cancers.
According to Dr. Allen Ho, a head and neck surgeon at Cedars-Sinai, HPV infection is incredibly common among Americans.
“The vast majority of humans in the United States, both men and women, will eventually get infected with HPV,” Dr. Ho told SurvivorNet.
However, only a small fraction of those infected are at risk of developing cancer.
“The important thing to know about HPV is that there are many different strains, and only a couple of them tend to be more cancer-inducing,” Dr. Ho explained.
“Probably less than 1 percent of the population who get infected happen to have the cancer-causing virus that somehow their immune system fails to clear, and over 15 to 20 years it develops from a viral infection into a tumor and cancer.”
Treatment for HPV-related oral cancers often involves surgery to remove the tumor, but may also include chemotherapy, radiation, or targeted drug therapies. In advanced cases, these treatments can affect a patient’s ability to eat or speak, although rehabilitation therapy can help many regain these essential functions.
The rise in HPV-related cancers underscores the importance of prevention, early detection, and public awareness—especially when it comes to the life-saving potential of the HPV vaccine.
What You Should Know About HPV
The human papillomavirus (HPV) is a common but often misunderstood virus.
HPV is “a group of more than 200 related viruses, some of which are spread through vaginal, anal, or oral sex,” according to the National Cancer Institute. While many sexually active individuals will contract HPV at some point in their lives, the virus is linked to several serious cancers.
Though HPV is most commonly associated with cervical cancer, its reach extends far beyond. The virus is also known to cause cancers of the throat, vagina, penis, anus, and vulva. In fact, HPV is believed to be responsible for:
90% of anal and cervical cancers
Approximately 70% of vaginal and vulvar cancers
Around 60% of penile cancers
Despite its widespread impact, screening options remain limited—especially for throat cancer.
“There are no screening guidelines to screen for throat cancer, unlike cervical cancer with pap smears,” saidDr. Jessica Geiger, a medical oncologist at the Cleveland Clinic Cancer Center, in an interview with SurvivorNet. “There are no standard tests to determine if you harbor the virus.”
The good news? HPV-related throat cancers tend to respond well to treatment.
“The cure rates for people who have HPV-related disease are a lot higher than those who have tobacco-related throat cancer,” Dr. Geiger explained.
Dickinson’s experience highlights the importance of HPV awareness—not just for women, but for everyone. With no routine screening for throat cancer, prevention through vaccination and education remains a critical tool in the fight against HPV-related diseases.
Protecting Against HPV: Why the Vaccine Matters More Than Ever
Nearly 80 million Americans are currently living with human papillomavirus (HPV), according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). While most people won’t experience serious health issues, for a small percentage, HPV can lead to cancer.
To reduce that risk, health experts strongly recommend the HPV vaccine, which protects against the strains most likely to cause cancer.
What the Vaccine Covers
Gardasil 9, the most widely used HPV vaccine, offers broad protection. According to the National Cancer Institute, it guards against “nine HPV types: the two low-risk HPV types that cause most genital warts, plus seven high-risk HPV types that cause most HPV-related cancer.”
One of the most dangerous strains is HPV 16, which is responsible for 92% of head and neck cancers. The vaccine triggers an immune response that prevents infection from this strain, making it a powerful tool in cancer prevention.
“The key with the vaccine is that you receive it before you have sexual encounters,” explains Dr. Geiger. “So that’s why these vaccines are approved for young children ages 9, 10, 11 years old, up to age 26.”
Who Should Get Vaccinated—and When
The CDC recommends the HPV vaccine for all male and female preteens at ages 11 to 12, administered in two doses spaced six to twelve months apart.
The series can begin as early as age 9.
Teens and young adults through age 26 who didn’t start or complete the vaccine series should still get vaccinated.
Those who begin the series between ages 15 and 26 or who have weakened immune systems should receive three doses instead of two.
While adults over 26 can still receive the vaccine, it’s generally less effective, as many have already been exposed to HPV. Still, individuals up to age 45 may choose to get vaccinated after consulting with their doctor about potential benefits.
WATCH: Should children get the HPV Vaccine?
Changing the Conversation Around HPV
Vaccine hesitancy remains a barrier, often rooted in concerns that the vaccine encourages early sexual activity. To counter this, many health professionals are shifting how they talk about it.
“I think rebranding the vaccine as a cancer vaccine, rather than an STD vaccine, is critically important,” says Dr. Teknos.
Dr. Teknos believes that focused efforts to “change the mindset around the vaccine” can make a meaningful difference.
By reframing the HPV vaccine as a powerful tool for cancer prevention, experts hope to boost vaccination rates—and protect more lives in the process.
Questions for Your Doctor
If you are concerned about your cancer risk related to the human papillomavirus or whether HPV caused the cancer you have, you can use one of the conversation starters below when talking with your doctor:
I am unsure if I received the HPV vaccine when I was younger. What can I do to know for sure?
If I experience symptoms that could be caused by HPV, what tests can I undergo to determine?
