By: Akanksha
The oncology community is mourning the loss of Rachna T. Shroff, MD, MS, FASCO, an internationally respected gastrointestinal oncologist, physician-scientist, and leading expert in pancreatic, stomach, and biliary tract cancer research. She died at the age of 47 following what the University of Arizona described as a brief “battle with an aggressive cancer” — the very disease she spent her career trying to cure.
Remembered globally for her clinical breakthroughs, Dr. Shroff is equally celebrated for her warmth, humor, generosity, and ability to bring joy into every room. In a 2024 interview with ASCO Connection, Dr. Shroff shared the personal motto that defined her life: “If you can’t find the sunshine, be the sunshine.”
After completing her medical oncology fellowship at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Dr. Shroff served on its faculty from 2010 to 2018 before returning to Arizona, where she grew up. At the University of Arizona Comprehensive Cancer Center, she served as Associate Director of Clinical Investigations, Co-Leader of the Gastrointestinal Clinical Research Team, Professor with tenure in the Department of Medicine, Chief of the Division of Hematology and Oncology at the College of Medicine - Tucson, Medical Director for the Oncology Service Line with Banner Health, and the inaugural John F. and Valli S. Duval Endowed Professor for Gastrointestinal Oncology.
Her interest in cancer research began much earlier. As a high school student in Tucson, she received the 1993 Osler Fellowship, which gave her the opportunity to work in the laboratory of Margaret Briehl, PhD, at the University of Arizona Cancer Center.
Dr. Shroff authored more than 80 peer-reviewed publications — many leading to FDA approvals — and delivered over 130 professional presentations. She held National Cancer Institute (NCI) funding to expand clinical research across Arizona, co-chaired the Southwest Oncology Group (SWOG) Hepatobiliary Subcommittee, and served as national principal investigator for SWOG 1815, a phase 3 randomized trial investigating treatment options for patients with newly diagnosed advanced biliary tract cancers. The findings were published in the Journal of Clinical Oncology in February 2025, following online publication in December 2024.
A statement from the University of Arizona read: “She was internationally recognized for her work in bile duct cancer, or cholangiocarcinoma, turning her focus to the rare and historically difficult-to-treat disease when few treatment options existed and no Food and Drug Administration - approved therapies were available. Today, the field has changed dramatically, due in part to the landmark clinical trials Dr. Shroff led as a principal investigator.”
In an interview, Dr. Shroff explained her philosophy: “It is our role and responsibility to have clinical trials available to the patients that come to see us and to ideally have a trial available to every single patient that walks through the door, to be able to offer them something cutting-edge, different, and innovative.”
Dr. Dan Theodorescu, director of the cancer center and Dr. Shroff’s boss, told NBC News: “That’s really exciting because she’s been able to build the clinical trials operations very effectively. And… what she’s done for the institution, in addition to doing her own clinical trial and seeing patients, she also managed to recruit some very, very bright young people.” Dr. Shroff called this work part of the legacy she hoped would "outlive" her, describing it as her “No. 1 credo.”
The American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) was a professional home for Dr. Shroff, who earned the Fellow of ASCO (FASCO) designation in 2023. She served as Chair of the Cancer Communications Committee, Chair for GI ASCO 2024, on the Nominating Committee, and as an Associate Editor for ASCO Daily News. In an interview, she said: “ASCO has been so integral in my development as a leader and as an oncologist… [It] is, in my opinion, the best professional society that I’ve ever had the pleasure of working with… [My] favorite time of day, I always say, is whenever I’m doing something for ASCO."
Tributes highlighted how she paired scientific ambition with joy. The Cholangiocarcinoma Foundation, where she served on the Scientific and Medical Advisory Board, recalled her quoting Beyoncé while discussing clinical trials and leading an energetic Bollywood lesson. In a tribute, the Foundation noted: “Beyond her professional accomplishments, she brought fun everywhere she went,” remembering someone who made people “live in the moment and laugh, even in the hardest of times.”
ASCO Chief Medical Officer, Dr. Julie R. Gralow remembered Dr. Shroff’s brilliant smile and “signature sparkles.” Dr. Naveen Pemmaraju of MD Anderson mourned his “dear loving big sister,” calling her “an absolutely brilliant light”, while Dr. Mike Blecker of Incyte wrote that she brought together “both expertise and humanity.”
In May, Dr. Shroff developed a swollen lymph node. Initially thought to be lymphoma, testing confirmed terminal adenocarcinoma that had spread and likely originated in her stomach or intestine. Days after her diagnosis, she still attended a major cancer research conference to raise awareness of clinical breakthroughs.
“It’s been a journey,” Dr. Shroff told TODAY. “I’ve spent my entire life trying to eradicate cancer, primarily pancreatic cancer, but also liver cancers.”
She was survived by her husband, Dr. Puneet Shroff; their daughter, Simran, 17, and son, Sachin, 13; her parents, Devendar and Dr. Amita Trivedi; and her sister, Neema Sahni. Speaking of her children, Sachin said: “I would probably say just how loving she is.”
Months shy of their 20th wedding anniversary, the family embraced joyful moments like college visits and Sachin’s baseball games. “Puneet has been the reason I’ve marched forward. And his ability to understand my vantage point, and his ability… to just stand by my side,” Dr. Shroff told TODAY.
Puneet added, “To have no cares, so to speak, in the world, and then all of them at your feet all at once, that’s both overwhelming. But it also teaches you resilience, and I hope that teaches our children resilience. I hope, for Rachna’s sake, it gives her strength, courage.”
Dr. Shroff was diagnosed with terminal adenocarcinoma, a type of cancer that develops in glandular cells lining certain organs. According to reporting by the Arizona Daily Star, the cancer had spread, and doctors suspected it originated in her stomach or intestine. The primary site, however, was not definitively established in the reports reviewed. Adenocarcinomas can develop in several organs, including the stomach, colon and pancreas, so the diagnosis should not be confused with a confirmed diagnosis of any one of these cancers.
Having launched her own career with a Conquer Cancer Young Investigator Award, Dr. Shroff spent her final months establishing the Conquer Cancer – RachnaShroff, MD, MS, FASCO Endowed Young Investigator Award in Biliary Cancers. Within weeks, over 600 supporters raised $1.35 million to permanently endow the award, ensuring her light and legacy will continue through future generations of researchers.
References:
1. National Cancer Institute. “Definition of Adenocarcinoma.” NCI Dictionary of Cancer Terms. Accessed October 16, 2026. https://www.cancer.gov/publications/dictionaries/cancer-terms/def/adenocarcinoma
2. University of Arizona College of Medicine–Tucson. “In Memoriam: Rachna Shroff, MD, MS.” October 2026. https://www.medicine.arizona.edu/news/2026/memoriam-rachna-shroff-md-ms
(Rh/APC/MSM)