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.”
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.”
Read More at MedBound Times: “Be the Sunshine”: She Spent Her Life Fighting Against Cancer, Then Faced an Aggressive Cancer Herself - Remembering Dr. Rachna Shroff, 47
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