Prostate cancer research on social media platforms: a bibliometric and thematic analysis

Abstract

Introduction – Prostate cancer is a highly prevalent malignancy among men globally, posing significant challenges in prevention, treatment, and patient management. Social media platforms, with their real-time accessibility, broad reach, and interactive features, offer novel data sources and intervention avenues for prostate cancer research. However, current studies in this field remain fragmented, lacking a systematic synthesis of the overall knowledge structure, developmental trajectory, and collaborative networks. Methods – A comprehensive search of Web of Science (WoS), PubMed, and IEEE Xplore databases was conducted to identify studies related to prostate cancer on social media platforms published between 2010 and 2025. Eligible studies were analysed using VOSviewer and R package bibliometrix to evaluate publication trends, authorship, citations, and thematic focus. Results – The search retrieved 483 studies, of which 249 met the inclusion criteria. These studies involved 1, 649 authors and were published in 155 journals. A significant increase in publications was observed from 2017 to 2025, with notable citation peaks in 2010, 2014, and 2019. Citation pathways and highly cited publications further elucidated the field’s evolution. The United States contributed the most publications (n=52), while the United Kingdom led in international collaborations (Total Link Strength=66). High-frequency keywords included ‘quality-of-life’, ‘information’, ‘radical prostatectomy’, ‘risk’, ‘Twitter’ and ‘communication’. Three major thematic areas were identified: (1) health information quality assessment, (2) patient education, and (3) personalized patient support and quality-of-life interventions. A strong correlation between prostate cancer and breast cancer research on social media was also observed. Thematic evolution revealed a shift from early foundational biological studies to patient-centred psychosocial support, and further toward integrating artificial intelligence for disease trend monitoring, prognosis prediction, and quality-of-life interventions. Conclusion – This study presents the first systematic bibliometric analysis of prostate cancer research on social media platforms, outlining the field’s knowledge map and developmental trajectory. The findings highlight a paradigm shift from micro-level individual care to macro-level precision monitoring, offering evidence-based insights for researchers, healthcare professionals, and policymakers. Future efforts should prioritize interdisciplinary collaboration, optimize information quality, promote equitable access to health information, and integrate emerging technologies into health communication and public health research.