ArticleMedicine2026
The intellectual structure and thematic evolution of skin cancer research in the Middle East: A data-driven bibliometric exploration of global integration and emerging fronts (1946-2025).
Article in Medicine, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.
What it found
Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.
The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.
Who cites it
0 citing papers in PubMed.
No citing paper in PubMed yet.
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
1 author.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
backgroundSkin cancer research in the Middle East has grown substantially over recent decades, yet its intellectual and collaborative landscape remains underexplored. This study aimed to map the evolution, thematic structure, and collaboration patterns of regional skin cancer research (1946-2025), benchmarking these trends against global trajectories to identify emerging conceptual domains and research priorities.
methodsSix comprehensive Scopus-derived datasets - categorized by duration, document type, and collaboration scope - were analyzed using Bibliometrix (R), VOSviewer, and CiteSpace. Analyses included productivity trends, choropleth mapping, citation impact, comparative metrics, co-authorship networks, keyword co-occurrence, thematic evolution, and cluster detection. Callon centrality-density model was applied to map thematic maturity, and CiteSpace was used to identify emerging clusters (2021-2025). All procedures followed the BIBLIO-checklist.
resultsA total of 179,158 initial records were retrieved from Scopus. After applying progressive filters, 6 datasets were constructed: dataset 1 (n = 7932), dataset 2 (n = 5640), dataset 3 (n = 5329), dataset 4 (n = 3869), dataset 5 (n = 2107), and dataset 6 (n = 1260). Regional research exhibited a 7.38% annual growth rate but lagged in international co-authorship (2.74% vs 33.31% globally). Thematic analyses showed a shift from clinical dermatology toward AI-driven diagnostics, dermoscopy, and melanoma. Turkey, Iran, and Egypt accounted for over 70% of regional output. Visualizations revealed fragmented intra-regional networks but strong external ties with the U.S. and Europe. CiteSpace clustering highlighted melanoma cell lines and absorption spectroscopy as recent focal areas.
conclusionMiddle Eastern skin cancer research is gradually adopting computational and translational approaches. However, collaboration gaps and limited citation impact underscore the need to strengthen regional networks, promote open access, and invest in integrative, technology-driven research platforms.
Indexed as
Identifiers
What OpenQuestion holds
Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.