Tribute to Rachna Shroff
Rachna Shroff, an Indian-American oncologist known globally for her expertise in bile duct cancer, has passed away at 47. The University of Arizona Cancer Center announced her death, noting that she had been living with a serious illness, although the specific details were not shared.
Dr. Shroff held significant roles at the University of Arizona, serving as the associate director of clinical investigations and as the chief of the Division of Hematology/Oncology. She was also the first to hold the John F. and Valli S. Duval Endowed Professor for Gastrointestinal Oncology position, and she contributed as the associate dean for clinical and translational research.
Renowned for her contributions to cholangiocarcinoma, a rare bile duct cancer, Dr. Shroff played a pivotal role in improving treatment options for a disease that had previously limited therapies. She published over 80 scientific papers and gave more than 130 presentations throughout her professional journey.
Even while facing her own cancer diagnosis, Dr. Shroff remained dedicated to advancing research for the illness. In September, she initiated the Conquer Cancer–Rachna Shroff FASCO Endowed Young Investigator Award focused on biliary cancers, successfully raising over $1.35 million within a short period to support research and innovation.
The University of Arizona Cancer Center honored her as “an internationally revered clinician-scientist, mentor and leader whose work reshaped the field of gastrointestinal oncology.”
Growing up in Tucson, Dr. Shroff was influenced by her father, a biochemist, and her mother, a nephrologist, which sparked her interest in cancer research from a young age. As a high school student, she received the Osler Fellowship in 1993, which allowed her to gain laboratory experience at the University of Arizona Cancer Center.
After earning her undergraduate degree from Brown University and completing her medical degree at Thomas Jefferson University, she pursued a fellowship at MD Anderson Cancer Center in Texas in 2010. She stayed at MD Anderson until 2018 before returning to Tucson to contribute to the University of Arizona.
Her research primarily targeted cholangiocarcinoma, pancreatic cancer, and other hepatobiliary malignancies. She led several clinical trials, making significant advancements in treatment approaches for biliary cancers and garnered national acclaim for her efforts in gastrointestinal oncology.
Additionally, Dr. Shroff was co-chair of the Hepatobiliary Subcommittee for the Southwest Oncology Group and chaired GI ASCO 2024, a prominent gastrointestinal cancer conference organized by the American Society of Clinical Oncology.
After her return to Arizona, she established and grew the gastrointestinal oncology program at the cancer center. She worked tirelessly to enhance patient access to clinical trials across southern Arizona and focused her research on innovative drug therapies and immunological treatments for challenging cancers.
In its tribute, the university highlighted that, beyond her impressive professional milestones, Dr. Shroff valued her roles as a wife, mother, and friend the most.
She is survived by her husband, Puneet Shroff, a physician and professor of medicine; their children, Simran and Sachin; her parents, Devendar and Amita Trivedi; and her sister, Neema Sahni.
