A Bibliometric Analysis of the 36-Year History of Cancer Nursing (1987-2023)

Abstract

Background Bibliometric analysis is an effective method for evaluating the publication characteristics and development of a journal. To our knowledge, this study is the first such analysis of the publications in Cancer Nursing. Objective This study aimed to analyze the publication characteristics and evolution of Cancer Nursing over a period of 36 years since its inception. Methods Bibliometric analysis was carried out on 3095 publications. Data were collected from the Web of Science Core Collection database on September 15, 2023. Data analysis was conducted with Web of Science Core Collection, VOSviewer, and Bibliometrix package in R software. Results The results showed a steady increase in the citation and publication structure of Cancer Nursing. “Quality of life” was at the center of the studies, and “quality of life,” “women,” and “breast cancer” were identified as trend topics. The United States was both at the center of the cooperation network and was the country that contributed the most publications to the journal. Conclusion Cancer Nursing has had an increasing contribution to and impact on cancer nursing in terms of the quality and citations of published articles. It was noted that the journal’s network of collaboration has expanded globally and that its thematic diversity is high. Although quality of life, women, and breast cancer have been reported extensively, more studies addressing the concepts of “children,” “support,” and “needs” are needed in the journal. Implications for Practice This study not only enriches global readers in the field of cancer nursing but may also be beneficial in providing input to guide future research.