Global research trends in diagnostic biomarkers for colorectal cancer: a bibliometric and visualization analysis

Background: Colorectal cancer (CRC) ranks as the third most prevalent malignancy worldwide, yet early detection rates remain suboptimal. Diagnostic biomarkers hold significant promise for improving early CRC detection. This study conducts a bibliometric and visualization analysis to elucidate global research trends in diagnostic biomarkers for CRC. Methods: A dataset of 255 publications was extracted from the Web of Science Core Collection (WoSCC) spanning from 1 January 2014 to 10 September 2024. CiteSpace, VOSviewer, and Excel were employed for comprehensive analysis of authorship patterns, journal distribution, institutional contributions, geographic focus, keyword co-occurrence, and citation networks. Results: Publication volumes demonstrated an initial upward trajectory, peaking in 2021 before a slight decline. China emerged as the leading contributor, followed by Egypt, Iran, and the United States, with the Egyptian Knowledge Bank identified as the most prolific institution. Keyword analysis revealed concentrated research interests in Colorectal Cancer, Genetic Markers, Long Non-Coding RNAs (lncRNAs), Proteins, DNA Methylation, and MicroRNAs. Conclusion: Genomic, proteomic, and non-coding RNA biomarkers represent the primary research frontiers in CRC diagnostics. Future investigations should prioritize multi-institutional cohort studies and integrated multi-omics approaches to validate and refine biomarkers for clinical implementation in early CRC screening programs.