Pulmonary Tuberculosis and Lung Cancer: Bibliometric Analysis of Global Scientific Output

Abstract: Background: Pulmonary tuberculosis (PTB) and lung cancer (LC) are leading causes of respiratory morbidity and mortality worldwide, with a marked impact on low- and middle-income countries. Aim: The aim of the study was to analyze scientific output on PTB and LC from a bibliometric perspective. Methods: Descriptive study using bibliometric methods, which consisted of searching for publications using a MESH term strategy. After the selection process, 254 original articles were included. The analysis was performed using the SciVal, Bibliometrix, and VOSviewer tools. Results: Scientific output shows an annual growth of 4.79% and an average of 11.91 citations per publication per year. 7.48% involve international collaboration. The most productive institutions are Capital Medical University in China, followed by Sungkyunkwan University in South Korea. The most relevant journals specialize in the field of pulmonology and cancer. Scientific output shows a positive trend, with growth in Q1 quartile journals becoming more noticeable from 2020 onward. In the thematic analysis, research fields such as 'computer-assisted tomography' emerge. China leads in this field of research, with an extensive cooperation network involving a high level of participation from Asian countries. Conclusion: Bibliometric evidence shows a growing trend and increasingly close scientific interaction between PTB and LC, supported by the expansion of Asian production, technological advances in diagnosis, and the shared immunological approach to both diseases.