Overview and current status of published research on cancer, sarcopenia and physical activity: A bibliometric analysis

Abstract

Introduction: Cancer is a global health problem; the presence of secondary symptoms such as sarcopenia in cancer patients is relatively common. Physical activity (PA) is notable for its protective role against sarcopenia; however, there is currently no bibliometric analysis of research related to cancer, sarcopenia, and physical activity.

Methods: A search on the Web of Science (WoS) Core Collection database was performed on this topic, and a bibliometric analysis of the identified publications was performed using traditional bibliometric laws.

Results: 121 publications were found. Annual publications presented an exponentially growing trend from 2012 to 2023 (R2 = 91%). The United States of America was the country with the most documents worldwide. Newton, R. U. and Galvao, D. A. were highlighted as the most prolific and prominent co-authors. The Cancers and Journal of Cachexia, Sarcopenia and Muscle were the journals with the highest number of published documents. 36 papers, having 37 or more citations, were the most cited papers. The author keywords and keywords Plus® identified thematic clusters related to research on this topic, such as cancer, physical activity, aging, muscle, skeletal muscle, osteoporosis, malnutrition, body composition, cachexia, survival, and frailty.

Conclusion: Research on cancer, sarcopenia, and physical activity has followed an exponential growth trend, which reveals growing interest in the topic. Significant authors and collaborative groups in the field were identified, as well as the journals and countries with the highest number of publications and the research trends most followed by researchers.