TikTok Star Rachel Yaffe Died at 27 From an Incredibly Rare Form of Cancer

Following the news that Rachel Yaffe has died at just 27 years old, many wanted to learn more about the influencer who wracked up tens of thousands of followers across Instagram and TikTok. Among the things some were curious about what the exact circumstances were surrounding her death.

Rachel made no secret of her health struggles. In fact, they were a core part of what her pages were all about. With that in mind, here's what we know about her cause of death.

What was Rachel Yaffe's cause of death?

Rachel, who was originally from Maryland, was first diagnosed with fibrolamellar hepatocellular carcinoma when she was just 20 years old. The disease is an exceedingly rare form of cancer that affects just 200 people every year. Following her diagnosis, Rachel decided to start documenting her "healing journey," and spent the next seven years telling the story of her diagnosis and the disease itself.

According to an obituary that has been posted online, Rachel died on Oct. 11. Her last TikTok video was dated Sept. 1, and in it she describes her adjustment as she moved back in to her own space. "Finding the little joys helps me stay motivated even on my worst days," she wrote in the caption.

Following the news of her death, that video and others on her page have been flooded with comments from users who are both devastated and grateful.

"Rest in peace gorgeous. Thank you for sharing you," one person wrote in a comment.

"Fly high beautiful girl! You’ve inspired so many," another added.

Rachel first began to suspect that she might be sick in her late teens, but initially believed that it could be explained by an intolerance to gluten. Eventually, though, a doctor found a tumor in her liver and was diagnosed with the disease, which usually occurs in young people.

Rachel was diagnosed with stage 4 fibrolamellar after discovering bloating in her stomach, and was taken into surgery just days after her diagnosis to have the tumor removed. While she initially believed that might be the end of her story, the cancer came back just three months later in both her liver and her lungs. It was at this point that she became much more proactive in her attempts to face this disease head on.

Rachel attempted a wide variety of treatments over the years of her care, and she moved to New York in September of 2023 to be closer to her sister after living in Los Angeles for several years. In February of 2024, she suffered a lung hemorrhage, explaining in a TikTok video that the tumor was putting pressure on her heart and causing her lungs to bleed.

In June, she provided an update based on her latest round of scans that had some "positive parts" and some parts she said were less ideal. She didn't film throughout the entire end of her life, so some fans were surprised by the news of her death after a month of silence.