Hori Chiemi was diagnosed with stage 4 oral cancer

Singer/actress Hori Chiemi (52) announced on her blog that she was diagnosed with stage 4 oral cancer and she is concentrating on cancer treatment and that she is fighting cancer.

According to the blog, Chiemi went for a examination on February 4th and she had a biopsy done on her tongue, she was diagnosed with oral cancer (left squamous cell carcinoma) and it had spread to her left neck.

Hori will be hospitalized on the 19th and will undergo surgery on the 22nd.  She will undergo oral surgery and plastic surgery as they will be removing half of her tongue and tumors that have spread to the lymph nodes in the neck will be removed.

Hori said, “I will definitely come back and fight and come back again and sing songs in front of the fans.  I will try my hardest for that and will devote myself to treatment”.

Hori said she will update her blog from time to time when she is in good health.  And vowed “I will not lose!”.

Hori Chiemi made her debut in 1982 a tthe age of 14 and was one of the most recognized idols in 1984 and produced a string of hits that charted in the top 5 and also starred in various dramas.  Hori would quit show business in 1987 at the age of 20 and would return to focus on working in television as a TV host and appeared on occasional dramas and films.

What is tongue cancer?  According to myvmc.com:

It is relatively common, with 3% of all malignancies arising within the oral cavity. Tongue cancer is more common than all forms of oral cavity cancer except those of the lip and occurs with increasing age. It is uncommon before the age of 40 and the highest incidence of the disease is in the 6th and 7th decades with sex incidence being a 3:1 male predominance.

All cancers of the head and neck show a strong association with alcohol consumption and tobacco smoking, particularly of cigarettes – in fact, tobacco is thought to be implicated in well over 80% of cases of squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck.