Rachna Shroff, a prominent cancer researcher who devoted much of her career to developing treatments for pancreatic and bile duct cancers, has died at the age of 47 after battling an aggressive form of the disease.
The American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) announced her death, paying tribute to a physician and researcher who continued supporting others even after receiving her own diagnosis.
Shroff served as Associate Director of Clinical Investigations at the University of Arizona Cancer Center, where she helped expand gastrointestinal oncology research and clinical trials aimed at improving access to emerging treatments.
According to NBC News, she sought medical attention in May after discovering a swollen lymph node. Doctors initially suspected lymphoma, a type of blood cancer, but further examination revealed that the disease had spread.
Despite her condition, Shroff continued to celebrate important moments with her family. She joined her daughter on college visits and attended her son’s baseball games as she approached her 20th wedding anniversary with her husband, Dr. Puneet Shroff.
She also established a Conquer Cancer Young Investigator Award in her name to support research into the disease. More than $1.35 million has reportedly been raised for the initiative, which the University of Arizona said reflected one of her final wishes.
Shroff, who authored more than 80 publications, had previously spoken about the personal significance of her work and the challenge of facing the disease she had spent years studying.
“I’ve spent my entire life trying to eradicate cancer, primarily pancreatic cancer but also liver cancers,” she told NBC News, describing her experience as a “journey.”
She remained guided by her personal motto: “If you can’t find the sunshine, be the sunshine.”
ASCO said she continued to live by that principle even after her diagnosis.
“Even in the face of her own diagnosis, Dr. Shroff spent her time endeavoring to ‘be the sunshine’ for others,” the organisation said.
Her career in cancer research began in the 1990s after she received the Osler Fellowship Award in 1993, which gave her an opportunity to gain experience in a laboratory at the University of Arizona Cancer Center.
She later graduated from Brown University in 2000 with a degree in biochemistry before earning her medical degree from Thomas Jefferson University in Philadelphia in 2004.
Between 2010 and 2018, Shroff worked as an associate professor of gastrointestinal medical oncology at MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston, Texas. She returned to the University of Arizona in 2018 and became Associate Director of Clinical Research in May 2022.
During her time at the cancer centre, she developed a gastrointestinal oncology programme and expanded clinical trials across Southern Arizona to help patients access advances in cancer treatment.
The university described her contributions as significant, while noting that her most cherished roles were those of wife, mother and friend.
Beyond her research and clinical work, Shroff participated in ASCO panels focused on gastrointestinal cancers, contributing to discussions on treatment and research in the field.
Tributes have continued to appear on the Conquer Cancer website, honouring her professional contributions and the support she offered others throughout her life.
