Bibliometric analysis and visualization of global research trends in primary thyroid lymphoma via CiteSpace

Background: Primary thyroid lymphoma (PTL) is a rare malignancy of the thyroid gland that poses significant clinical challenges due to its rarity and the varied therapeutic approaches it demands. Although recent years have seen an increasing focus on PTL, there is a notable lack of bibliometric analyses that consolidate the evolving research within this field. This study aims to analyze and highlight the research hotspots and trend changes in PTL, elucidating their clinical implications and guiding future research.

Methods: We conducted a systematic bibliometric analysis of literature on PTL published from 2000 to 2023. This involved a structured search in the Web of Science Core Collection, using medical subject headings (MeSH) from the MeSH database to refine and eliminate duplicates, forming a precise search formula. Relevant publications were limited to English-language articles and reviews, which were then processed and analyzed using CiteSpace (6.2.R4) for visualization. The analysis, performed with CiteSpace software, facilitated the visualization of trends and hotspots in PTL research by mapping citation networks and identifying key themes and influential works.

Results: Our search yielded 281 literature records on PTL, demonstrating a curvilinear upward trend in publications over the years. The majority of publications originated from China, with the most influential contributions coming from the United States. Hirokawa Mitsuyoshi and Derringer Ga were identified as the most prolific and most co-cited authors, respectively. Keyword and co-citation analyses indicated a growing interest in clinicopathological features, treatment modalities, survival outcomes of different PTL subtypes, risk factors, complementary diagnostic techniques, and immunotherapeutic approaches.

Conclusions: This bibliometric analysis underscores the significant clinical relevance of understanding the pathologies, diagnostic challenges, and treatment strategies for PTL. The identified research hotspots, particularly in pathological typing, diagnosis and treatment modalities, gene expression profiles, targeted therapies, clinical trials, and survival rates, highlight critical areas requiring continued research focus. These insights have pivotal implications for improving patient outcomes and advancing the clinical management of PTL.