​Dedicated Researcher Dies of the Disease She Vowed to Defeat

​A Legacy Carved in Compassion and Clinical Excellence

​The medical and scientific communities are mourning the loss of Dr. Rachna Shroff, a distinguished cancer researcher who dedicated her professional life to eradicating the very disease that ultimately took her life. She passed away at the age of 47 following a fierce battle with an aggressive form of terminal adenocarcinoma.

​Dr. Shroff served as the associate director of clinical investigations at the University of Arizona Cancer Center, where she specialized in pancreatic and bile duct cancers. Her journey with the disease began earlier this year when an evaluation of a swollen lymph node initially pointed toward lymphoma. Further medical evaluations, however, revealed widespread adenocarcinoma, a complex cancer that originates in the glands lining internal organs.

​A Life Defined by Service and Science

​Dr. Shroff’s academic and professional trajectory spanned decades of relentless dedication to oncology. Her early immersion in the field began in the 1990s as an Osler Fellowship Award recipient, which provided her with foundational laboratory experience at the University of Arizona Cancer Center.

​She subsequently earned a biochemistry degree from Brown University in 2000, followed by a medical doctorate from Thomas Jefferson University in Philadelphia in 2004. Before returning to the University of Arizona in 2018, she spent nearly a decade as an associate professor of Gastrointestinal Medical Oncology at the MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston, Texas.

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​During her tenure at the University of Arizona, she shaped a high-performing gastrointestinal oncology program. Colleagues noted her instrumental role in expanding clinical trials throughout Southern Arizona, ensuring that regional patients gained access to cutting-edge scientific advances. In addition to authoring more than 80 publications, she was a frequent contributor to American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) panels.

​Turning Personal Adversity into Lasting Impact

​Despite the profound challenges of her diagnosis, Dr. Shroff remained anchored to her personal philosophy: “If you can’t find the sunshine, be the sunshine.”

​In the final chapters of her life, she focused heavily on family milestones, joining her daughter, Simran, on college tours and cheering on her son, Sachin, at his baseball games, while preparing to celebrate her 20th wedding anniversary with her husband, Dr. Puneet Shroff.

​Aligning with her lifelong mission, one of her final wishes was realized through the launch of the Conquer Cancer Young Investigator Award established in her name. The initiative has successfully raised over $1.35 million to support ongoing research efforts aimed at finding a cure. Tributes continue to pour in from peers, patients, and institutions worldwide, honoring a career that bridged profound clinical expertise with enduring human empathy.