Bibliometric analysis of studies relating gut microbiota to hepatocellular carcinoma

Abstract:

[Background] Gut microbiota is closely associated with hepatocellular carcinoma, impacting liver metabolism and immune responses. Ongoing attention is drawn to the study of gut microbiota-related mechanisms and treatment strategies. [Objective] Analyzing the trends, current status, and hotspots in domestic and international research on gut microbiota and hepatocellular carcinoma from 2003 to 2023, aiming to provide comprehensive and intuitive references for researchers in this field. [Methods] The articles about gut microbiota and hepatocellular carcinoma were retrieved from the Web of Science Core Collection (WoSCC) and China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI). VOSviewer1.6.19 and CiteSpace6.1.R6 were used for bibliometric analysis. [Results] A total of 659 eligible English publications were retrieved from the WoSCC, and 70 Chinese publications meeting the criteria were screened out from the CNKI. The annual count and citation frequency of English publications showed an increasing trend, and the total number of Chinese publications also exhibited a rising trend. China was a leading country in terms of the publication number and international collaborations, while the United States exceled in citation frequency and international partnerships. The most influential research institution was the University of California San Diego, and the most impactful scholar/team identified was the Elinav Eran team. The International Journal of Molecular Sciences was the journal with the largest publication number. The co-occurrence analysis of keywords revealed that the research hotspots included the mechanisms of hepatocellular carcinoma occurrence, the relationship between gut microbiota and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease progression, and hepatocellular carcinoma treatment strategies targeting gut microbiota. The keyword burst analysis highlighted gut microbiome and immune checkpoint inhibitor as the current research frontiers in this field. [Conclusion] This study, from the perspective of bibliometrics, comprehensively analyzed the current status and development trends of the relationship between gut microbiota and hepatocellular carcinoma, and offered guidance for researchers in this field to delve into hotspots and frontiers and to choose suitable journals and collaborators.