Korean star Jeong Mi-ae diagnosed with stage 3 tongue cancer, attributes it to tooth decay
42-year-old South Korean trot singer Jeong Mi-ae recently revealed details of her battle with stage 3 tongue cancer in a TV show.
She attributed the cause in part to untreated tooth decay.
On Friday (13 Oct), Jeong opened up on ‘Superman is Back’, a popular reality TV show, where she discussed her diagnosis and difficult journey following the condition’s discovery in December 2021.
The life-altering news came just two years after Jeong rose to fame as the runner-up in the first season of talent competition Miss Trot in 2019, reported Sin Chew Daily.
Source: Maeil Business Newpaper
Tooth decay led to cancer diagnosis
Jeong explained that a decayed tooth had rubbed against her tongue, causing inflammation, which ultimately developed into cancer on her tongue.
She underwent an intensive eight-hour surgery that involved removing one-third of her tongue along with surrounding lymph nodes.
Maeil Business Newspaper reported that the procedure left her with considerable pain and difficulty speaking, forcing her to abruptly put her singing career on hold.
“It was extremely hard to pronounce and sing,” she said, adding that she had to relearn basic speech and singing techniques. “I kept repeating the same words over and over, like a crazy person.”
Maeil Business Newspaper also said that Jeong, who’s a mother of four, has lived with constant worry about the cancer returning.
Source: Sin Chew Daily
In a social media post on 13 Sept, she shared that although her doctors had found “nothing unusual” over the past two years and nine months, she often feels anxious still.
Recently, fatigue and throat inflammation led to swollen lymph nodes, prompting her to wonder when she might finally feel like herself again. She also expressed a yearning for peace of mind amid these health concerns.
Despite these challenges, Jeong described her children as her main motivation in her recovery journey. It was only recently that she resumed her work as a performer.
Importance of oral hygiene
Jeong’s experience left her with a renewed sense of the importance of oral hygiene, something she hopes others will prioritise.
What seemed like an ordinary dental issue can sometimes turn out to be life-threatening, she said, according to Sin Chew Daily.
Dr Lee Jong-ho, an oral cancer specialist from the Korea Cancer Centre, told Sin Chew Daily that tongue cancer accounts for about 30% of all oral cancers.
He highlighted smoking, alcohol consumption, and poor oral hygiene as significant risk factors for the disease.
According to the Mayo Clinic, tongue cancer can form either in the mouth or the throat. The clinic suggests regular health and dental check-ups, avoiding tobacco, limiting alcohol, and receiving the HPV vaccine as ways to reduce the risk of developing tongue cancer.
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Featured image adapted from Sin Chew Daily and Maeil Business Newpaper.
