Bibliometric review of primary effusion lymphoma research: Current status, hotspots, and future prospects.

BACKGROUNDS: Primary effusion lymphoma (PEL) is a rare, highly aggressive malignancy that severely affects patient survival. This study aims to help scholars build a comprehensive framework to identify current challenges, opportunities, and development trends. METHODS: A total of 2544 relevant articles were retrieved from the Web of Science, PubMed, and Scopus databases, encompassing the primary research findings and methodologies in this field. The analysis results indicate that while the number of studies has shown growth in certain years, there remains a challenge of concentrated research themes and a lack of clinical application. RESULTS: The findings revealed that while the United States dominates PEL research, countries in Asia, particularly China and Japan, are also experiencing growth in this domain. Further keyword co-occurrence analysis indicates that current research hotspots in PEL primarily focus on viral mechanisms, immune evasion, and treatment methods. However, clinical treatment-related keywords such as "chemotherapy agents" and "immunotherapy" appear infrequently in the literature, suggesting a significant disconnect between basic research and clinical application. CONCLUSION: The study reveals the current situation and trend of the growing PEL research around the world. The findings of this study not only illuminate current trends in PEL research but also emphasize the necessity of continued scholarly inquiry to address the multifaceted challenges faced by patients and healthcare providers alike.