University of Arizona Cancer Researcher Rachna Shroff Dies at 47 of the Disease She Spent Her Life Fighting

TUCSON, Ariz. — Dr. Rachna Shroff, a nationally recognized cancer researcher at the University of Arizona who devoted her career to fighting bile duct and other gastrointestinal cancers, has died after her own battle with the disease. She was 47.

Shroff died Oct. 11 from complications of terminal adenocarcinoma, a type of cancer that begins in the glands that line organs, according to the university and the American Society of Clinical Oncology, which announced her death on Tuesday.

At the University of Arizona, Shroff served as chief of the Division of Hematology and Oncology in the Department of Medicine at the College of Medicine–Tucson and associate director of clinical investigations at the University of Arizona Cancer Center. She also held the John F. and Valli S. Duval Endowed Professorship in Gastrointestinal Oncology.

A leader in clinical research

Shroff was best known for her work on cholangiocarcinoma, a rare and often deadly cancer of the bile ducts, along with pancreatic and other gastrointestinal cancers. She authored dozens of research papers and played a leading role in clinical trials of new treatments.

Dr. Dan Theodorescu, director of the University of Arizona Cancer Center and her supervisor, credited her with helping advance hundreds of clinical trials, building the institution's clinical trial operation and recruiting talented young researchers to the center, all while managing her own studies and caring for patients.

She also worked to expand access to clinical trials across Southern Arizona, giving more patients in the region the chance to take part in research studies.

Shroff also served as medical director for the oncology service line at Banner University Medicine and co-led the Cancer Center's gastrointestinal clinical research team.

Roots in Tucson

Shroff's interest in cancer research began when she was a high school student in Tucson. A research fellowship brought her into a University of Arizona laboratory, where she worked alongside an oncologist she would later collaborate with as a colleague.

When she joined the university's faculty in 2018, she said that early experience at the Cancer Center was "what prompted me to go into oncology."

She earned a bachelor's degree in biochemistry from Brown University in 2000 and a medical degree from Thomas Jefferson University's Sidney Kimmel Medical College in 2004. She completed her residency in internal medicine at Barnes-Jewish Hospital in St. Louis and a fellowship in medical oncology at the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston, where she later also earned a master's degree.

Shroff served on the faculty of MD Anderson from 2010 to 2018, rising to associate professor of gastrointestinal medical oncology, before returning to Tucson.

Honors

In 2023, Shroff was named a Fellow of the American Society of Clinical Oncology, one of the field's most prestigious honors, recognizing her contributions to cancer research and patient care. She also received faculty mentoring awards for her work training the next generation of physicians.

Facing her own diagnosis

Earlier this year, Shroff was diagnosed with cancer after discovering a swollen lymph node. Despite her illness, she continued to work and attended a major cancer research conference in October to share information about recent developments in the field.

Even as her health declined, she remained focused on supporting future researchers. In her final weeks, she helped raise $1.35 million to establish the Conquer Cancer–Rachna Shroff, MD, MS, FASCO Young Investigator Award in Biliary Cancer through the ASCO Foundation. The endowed award will support early-career investigators studying cancers of the bile duct.

The award is expected to help sustain research into biliary cancers, which are relatively rare and have historically received less research funding than more common cancers.

Remembered for her impact

Colleagues, patients and professional organizations have paid tribute to Shroff in recent days, remembering her as a dedicated physician, a passionate researcher and a generous mentor.

Her death drew wide attention because she died of the same type of disease she had spent her career working to treat, a fact many found especially poignant.

Shroff had spoken publicly about her work and the importance of cancer research, including in interviews with local media in Arizona.

Survivors

Shroff is survived by her husband, Dr. Puneet Shroff; their children, Simran and Sachin; and her parents, including her father, Devendar Trivedi.

Legacy

Biliary tract cancers, including cholangiocarcinoma, are often diagnosed at advanced stages and have limited treatment options, making research into new therapies especially important. Shroff's work helped advance understanding of these cancers and expand the clinical trials available to patients.

Through the award she established, her commitment to fighting the disease will continue to support researchers working to improve outcomes for patients.

Funeral and memorial arrangements were not immediately announced.