Mapping the Landscape of Rural Cancer Research: A Global Bibliometric Analysis

David Nelson; Tanja K.  Kleinhappel; Natalia Calanzani; Samuel  Cooke; Ben  Pickwell-Smith; Katie  Spencer; Ros  Kane; Syeda Naqvi; Peter Selby; Mark Lawler; Peter Murchie

doi:10.1007/s10552-025-02086-0

Mapping the Landscape of Rural Cancer Research: A Global Bibliometric Analysis

David Nelson^* (Corresponding Author)
, Tanja K. Kleinhappel
, Natalia Calanzani
, Samuel Cooke
, Ben Pickwell-Smith
, Katie Spencer
, Ros Kane
, Syeda Naqvi
, Peter Selby
, Mark Lawler
, Peter Murchie

^*Corresponding author for this work

University of Lincoln
Macmillan Cancer Support
University of Leeds
Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust
Queen's University Belfast
European Cancer Organisation

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

Abstract

Purpose
Rural communities frequently experience inequalities in cancer care compared to urban counterparts. Despite growing academic interest, there has been no global bibliometric analysis of rural cancer publications. Increasingly, global policies focus on place-based health inequalities; it is critical to understand the current state and emerging trends of rural cancer research. This analysis focuses on publication trends, including authors, citations, geography, collaboration (extent and patterns) and target journals.

Methods
Web of Science and Scopus were searched from inception to 25th February 2025. Bibliometric methodology examined citation counts, authorship and publication sources. Results were converted into bibliographic data frames using the bibliometrix R package. All analysis and visual illustrations were in R 4.4.2.

Results
Fifteen thousand seven hundred and twenty two documents were analysed (mean age, 10.6 years; average, 25.5 citations per document (2.2 per year)). Annual publication growth was 4.6%, with a marked increase in rural cancer research outputs since 2006. Research output was concentrated in a small number of high-income countries and institutions, but citation analysis showed that some smaller countries produced high-impact work. Rural cancer research activity is shaped by national, regional and geopolitical collaborations. Thematic gaps were identified in early diagnosis. Cancer-specific journals have most outputs, with rural health and public health journals also contributing to the dissemination of rural cancer research.

Conclusion
Rural cancer research is expanding but is geographically uneven. There is a need for increased investment in underrepresented regions and broader subject-specific coverage that is guided by intersectional and place-based approaches.

Original language	English
Article number	5
Number of pages	12
Journal	Cancer Causes & Control
Volume	37
Early online date	27 Dec 2025
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1007/s10552-025-02086-0
Publication status	Published - Jan 2026

Data Availability Statement

The data that support the findings of this study are available from the corresponding author (DN), upon reasonable request.

Funding

This research did not receive any funding.

UN SDGs

This output contributes to the following UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

SDG 3 Good Health and Well-being

Keywords

cancer research
rural health
bibliometric analysis
research activity
global
inequalities

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Cite this

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title = "Mapping the Landscape of Rural Cancer Research: A Global Bibliometric Analysis",

abstract = "Purpose Rural communities frequently experience inequalities in cancer care compared to urban counterparts. Despite growing academic interest, there has been no global bibliometric analysis of rural cancer publications. Increasingly, global policies focus on place-based health inequalities; it is critical to understand the current state and emerging trends of rural cancer research. This analysis focuses on publication trends, including authors, citations, geography, collaboration (extent and patterns) and target journals. Methods Web of Science and Scopus were searched from inception to 25th February 2025. Bibliometric methodology examined citation counts, authorship and publication sources. Results were converted into bibliographic data frames using the bibliometrix R package. All analysis and visual illustrations were in R 4.4.2. Results Fifteen thousand seven hundred and twenty two documents were analysed (mean age, 10.6 years; average, 25.5 citations per document (2.2 per year)). Annual publication growth was 4.6\%, with a marked increase in rural cancer research outputs since 2006. Research output was concentrated in a small number of high-income countries and institutions, but citation analysis showed that some smaller countries produced high-impact work. Rural cancer research activity is shaped by national, regional and geopolitical collaborations. Thematic gaps were identified in early diagnosis. Cancer-specific journals have most outputs, with rural health and public health journals also contributing to the dissemination of rural cancer research. Conclusion Rural cancer research is expanding but is geographically uneven. There is a need for increased investment in underrepresented regions and broader subject-specific coverage that is guided by intersectional and place-based approaches.",

keywords = "cancer research, rural health, bibliometric analysis, research activity, global, inequalities",

author = "David Nelson and Kleinhappel, \{Tanja K.\} and Natalia Calanzani and Samuel Cooke and Ben Pickwell-Smith and Katie Spencer and Ros Kane and Syeda Naqvi and Peter Selby and Mark Lawler and Peter Murchie",

year = "2026",

month = jan,

doi = "10.1007/s10552-025-02086-0",

language = "English",

volume = "37",

journal = "Cancer Causes \& Control",

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TY - JOUR

T1 - Mapping the Landscape of Rural Cancer Research

T2 - A Global Bibliometric Analysis

AU - Nelson, David

AU - Kleinhappel, Tanja K.

AU - Calanzani, Natalia

AU - Cooke, Samuel

AU - Pickwell-Smith, Ben

AU - Spencer, Katie

AU - Kane, Ros

AU - Naqvi, Syeda

AU - Selby, Peter

AU - Lawler, Mark

AU - Murchie, Peter

PY - 2026/1

Y1 - 2026/1

N2 - Purpose Rural communities frequently experience inequalities in cancer care compared to urban counterparts. Despite growing academic interest, there has been no global bibliometric analysis of rural cancer publications. Increasingly, global policies focus on place-based health inequalities; it is critical to understand the current state and emerging trends of rural cancer research. This analysis focuses on publication trends, including authors, citations, geography, collaboration (extent and patterns) and target journals. Methods Web of Science and Scopus were searched from inception to 25th February 2025. Bibliometric methodology examined citation counts, authorship and publication sources. Results were converted into bibliographic data frames using the bibliometrix R package. All analysis and visual illustrations were in R 4.4.2. Results Fifteen thousand seven hundred and twenty two documents were analysed (mean age, 10.6 years; average, 25.5 citations per document (2.2 per year)). Annual publication growth was 4.6%, with a marked increase in rural cancer research outputs since 2006. Research output was concentrated in a small number of high-income countries and institutions, but citation analysis showed that some smaller countries produced high-impact work. Rural cancer research activity is shaped by national, regional and geopolitical collaborations. Thematic gaps were identified in early diagnosis. Cancer-specific journals have most outputs, with rural health and public health journals also contributing to the dissemination of rural cancer research. Conclusion Rural cancer research is expanding but is geographically uneven. There is a need for increased investment in underrepresented regions and broader subject-specific coverage that is guided by intersectional and place-based approaches.

AB - Purpose Rural communities frequently experience inequalities in cancer care compared to urban counterparts. Despite growing academic interest, there has been no global bibliometric analysis of rural cancer publications. Increasingly, global policies focus on place-based health inequalities; it is critical to understand the current state and emerging trends of rural cancer research. This analysis focuses on publication trends, including authors, citations, geography, collaboration (extent and patterns) and target journals. Methods Web of Science and Scopus were searched from inception to 25th February 2025. Bibliometric methodology examined citation counts, authorship and publication sources. Results were converted into bibliographic data frames using the bibliometrix R package. All analysis and visual illustrations were in R 4.4.2. Results Fifteen thousand seven hundred and twenty two documents were analysed (mean age, 10.6 years; average, 25.5 citations per document (2.2 per year)). Annual publication growth was 4.6%, with a marked increase in rural cancer research outputs since 2006. Research output was concentrated in a small number of high-income countries and institutions, but citation analysis showed that some smaller countries produced high-impact work. Rural cancer research activity is shaped by national, regional and geopolitical collaborations. Thematic gaps were identified in early diagnosis. Cancer-specific journals have most outputs, with rural health and public health journals also contributing to the dissemination of rural cancer research. Conclusion Rural cancer research is expanding but is geographically uneven. There is a need for increased investment in underrepresented regions and broader subject-specific coverage that is guided by intersectional and place-based approaches.

KW - cancer research

KW - rural health

KW - bibliometric analysis

KW - research activity

KW - global

KW - inequalities

U2 - 10.1007/s10552-025-02086-0

DO - 10.1007/s10552-025-02086-0

M3 - Article

C2 - 41454992

SN - 0957-5243

VL - 37

JO - Cancer Causes & Control

JF - Cancer Causes & Control

M1 - 5

ER -

Mapping the Landscape of Rural Cancer Research: A Global Bibliometric Analysis

Abstract

Data Availability Statement

Funding

UN SDGs

Keywords

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