Cancer researcher ran out of time herself while fighting for patients

University of Arizona cancer researcher Dr. Rachna Shroff, 47, died Oct. 11 after a diagnosis of terminal adenocarcinoma, a cancer that originates in glandular cells lining organs. Her husband, Dr. Puneet Shroff, said she maintained a “love for living” and pushed to keep normal plans going even during chemotherapy—flying to Chicago for her daughter Simran’s theatre performance despite a plane diversion, and taking their son Sachin to watch the Arizona Wildcats in the 2026 NCAA Final Four. Shroff specialized in gastrointestinal cancers, serving as associate director of clinical investigations and co-leader of the Gastrointestinal Clinical Research Team. A week before her death, she hosted a “Celebration of Living.”