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Bibliometric analysis of global research on liquid biopsy for gastric cancer
Huazhen Zheng1, Peng Wang2, Huijie Zheng1
1Department of Clinical Laboratory, The First People's Hospital of Foshan (Foshan Hospital Affiliated to Southern University of Science and Technology), School of Medicine, Southern University of Science and Technology, Foshan, Guangdong, China.
Background:
Gastric cancer (GC) is one of the most common malignant tumors worldwide, with a poor overall survival rate. Liquid biopsy (LB) is a non-invasive approach that can assist with the diagnosis and dynamic monitoring of GC. The aim of this study is to use bibliometric analysis to evaluate global trends in LB of GC from 2000 to 2025 and visualise the frontiers.
Methods:
A literature search was conducted on Web of Science for studies on LB in GC published between 2000 and 2025. The retrieved articles were analysed using descriptive statistics and visualisation to examine the annual publication number, prolific countries and institutions, influential authors and journals, and the number of citations.
Results:
A total of 360 publications were identified, showing consistent growth in output from 2002 to 2025, with a notable acceleration around 2016. Ichikawa D was the most prolific author, contributing 8 publications and amassing 338 citations, which highlights his significant academic impact. China led in terms of publication output with 146 publications, followed closely by the USA and Japan. Journals such as Cancers and Frontiers in Oncology occupied central positions in the network, reflecting their interdisciplinary significance. Frequent key terms such as LB, GC, biomarker and circulating tumour DNA (ctDNA) emphasised the focus on diagnostic applications and molecular targets in research.
Conclusions:
The field of liquid biopsy for GC is entering a period of rapid development. This bibliometric analysis maps the fundamental knowledge structure of this field. The hotspots identified in this study warrant further investigation.
