A bibliometric analysis of gut microbiota and thyroid cancer studies: Global trends, research gaps, and future directions

Aim: Thyroid cancer is one of the most prevalent cancers in the World. Although previous bibliometric studies have explored the role of gut microbes in various cancers, none have specifically focused on thyroid cancer. This study aimed to identify research trends and key topics in the relationship between gut microbiota and thyroid cancer. Material and Methods: Publications published from 2007 to 2024 were retrieved from the Web of Science Core Collection database and screened based on the inclusion criteria. The VOSviewer software was used to analyze publication trends by country, institution, author, citation counts, and journal. Results: A total of 429 studies were selected from the 417,039 studies identified between 2007 and 2024. The number of publications has increased steadily and will peak by 2023. These studies received 10,079 citations, averaging 592.88 citations per year. Frontiers in Endocrinology were the most productive journals. China had the highest citation count (831). Key research hotspots included "gut microbiota," "thyroid cancer," "inflammation," and "selenium." China and Italy were central in cooperative networks, with Tongji and Peking University being the most productive institutions. The most prolific authors are Jiang Wen, Lv Zhongwei, and Gao Dingwei. Discussion: Research on the link between gut microbiota and thyroid cancer has grown significantly over the past two decades, with China and the USA leading. Strengthening institutional collaborations and focusing on emerging topics like "bacteria" and "Hashimoto's thyroiditis" is recommended for future research.