Social Media-Based Cancer Education: Bibliometric and Thematic Analysis

Area of Science:

• Digital Health
• Health Communication
• Bibliometrics

Background:

• Traditional cancer patient education faces limitations in timeliness, accessibility, and personalization.
• Social media platforms are increasingly utilized for delivering cancer-related educational content.
• A comprehensive assessment of the research landscape in social media-based cancer education is needed.

Purpose of the Study:

• Identify research hotspots in social media-based cancer education.
• Trace the evolution of this educational approach.
• Map leading journals, institutions, and international collaborations.

Main Methods:

• Bibliometric and thematic analysis of 119 publications (2011-2025) from the Web of Science Core Collection.
• Utilized VOSviewer, Bibliometrix, and CiteSpace for trend analysis, collaboration mapping, and keyword co-occurrence.
• Examined publication trends, author/institutional networks, and thematic evolution.

Main Results:

• The Journal of Medical Internet Research and the University of Minnesota were the most productive.
• The United States dominated publications and international collaborations.
• Key research areas include platform-specific dissemination, tailored interventions, quality of life enhancement, and combating health misinformation.

Conclusions:

• This bibliometric analysis offers insights into social media's role in cancer patient education.
• Findings support the development of digital health literacy strategies.
• The research trajectory shows a shift towards broader digital health and health equity topics.