Mapping Intellectual Structure for the Long Non-Coding RNA in Hepatocellular Carcinoma Development Research

Background: Emerging research suggests that long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) play an important role in a variety of developmental or physiological processes of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Various differentially expressed lncRNAs have been identified in HCC. Thus, a deeper analysis of recent research concerning lncRNA and HCC development could provide scientists with a valuable reference for future studies. Methods: Related publications were retrieved from the Web of Science Core Collection database. CiteSpace version 5.6.R4 was employed to conduct bibliometric analysis. Several network maps were constructed to evaluate the collaborations between different countries, institutions, authors, journals, and keywords. Results: A total of 2,667 records were initially found from the year of 2010-2020. The annual related publications output had increased dramatically during these years. Although China was the most prolific country in terms of research publication, the United States played a leading role in collaborative network. The Nanjing Medical University was the most productive institute in the field of lncRNAs in HCC development. Gang Chen was the most prolific researcher, while Yang F was the most frequently co-cited author. Oncotarget, Cell, and Oncogene were the most highly co-cited journals. The most recent burst keywords were interaction, database, and pathway. Conclusion: This study provides a comprehensive overview for the field of lncRNAs in HCC development based on bibliometric and visualized methods. The results would provide a reference for scholars focusing on this field.