Turkish Retinoblastoma Research: A Bibliometric Analysis (1966-2024)

To conduct the first bibliometric analysis of retinoblastoma research in Türkiye and identify leading institutions, authors, collaboration patterns, and potential growth areas.

We conducted a search on international databases (Web of Science [WoS] and Scopus), a national database (TR Dizin), and gray literature sources (thesis/Scientific and Technological Research Council of Türkiye project reports). Data were cleaned and analyzed using bibliometric tools, including Open Refine and VOSviewer. Bibliometric indicators such as number of publications, journals, h-index, collaboration patterns, and co-occurrence of keywords were examined.

A search of WoS and Scopus entries published between 1966 and 2024 yielded 122 relevant publications, with articles (n=78, 63.9%) being the most common document type. More than two-thirds of the publications were from 4 institutions: İstanbul University (n=48, 23.8%), Hacettepe University (n=34, 16.8%), Ankara University (n=33, 16.3%), and İstanbul University-Cerrahpaşa (n=22, 10.9%). The total number of citations was 1,148, with an average of 10.16 per publication and an h-index of 16. Excluding 8 internationally collaborated articles, the citations and h-index decreased to 661 and 14, respectively. Pediatric Blood & Cancer was the most preferred journal, with 22 publications (19.5%). The national database search yielded 18 publications with 0 citations. Of 29 relevant theses, only 4 (13.8%) were published. The estimated publication growth predicted an increase in publication numbers per year until 2030.

This study represents the first bibliometric analysis of retinoblastoma research conducted in Türkiye. Our findings underscore the concentration of research in a few institutions, the importance of international collaborations, and the potential for growth in particular areas. Addressing these areas strategically can empower Turkish researchers to enhance their contributions to the field and improve patient care.