Global trends in endometrial cancer and metabolic syndrome research: A bibliometric and visualization analysis

Currently, many studies have shown that there is a link between metabolic syndrome (MetS) and endometrial cancer (EC). However, there has been no systematic bibliometric analysis of related publications, which limits the comprehensive understanding of research trends and priorities. Our study makes up for this problem.

Through bibliometric analysis, this study aimed to reveal key research focus areas, developmental trends, and major contributors of EC and MetS.

The literature for this study was obtained from the Web of Science Core Collection (WoSCC) through August 31, 2024. We searched for EC and MetS using subject and free terms. Microsoft Office Excel 2016, CiteSpace, and VOSviewer software packages were used for bibliometric analysis, considering specific characteristics such as year of publication, country, institution, authorship, journal, references, and keywords.

A total of 367 publications were included. Annual publications exhibited exponential growth (R2 = 0.8282), indicatingsustained interest in the field. The United States (111 publications), China (80), and Italy (38) were the most productive countries. The University of California System led institutional contributions. Keyword co-occurrence and burst analysis revealed that obesity (occurrence: 113; link strength: 630), insulin resistance (112; 587), and polycystic ovary syndrome (83; 386) were the most frequent and interconnected research foci. Emerging trends, identified through keyword time-zone mapping (average citation year: 2015-2019), highlighted weight control and bariatric surgery as novel interventions. Journals with the highest impact included ∗Fertility and Sterility∗ (IF: 6.6) and ∗International Journal of Epidemiology (IF: 6.4).

This study conducted a preliminary bibliometric and visual analysis of the EC and MetS research literature, revealing trends, global cooperation models, fundamental knowledge, and emerging frontiers of EC and MetS. For over 30 years, research has mainly focused on the correlation between MetS and EC, disease factors, prognosis, prevention, and other aspects that have guiding significance for public health.