Digestive system cancers remain major contributors to global cancer-related morbidity and mortality, and increasing evidence suggests that modifiable lifestyle factors are closely associated with their risk and prognosis. To characterize the development of this field, we performed a bibliometric analysis of publications from 2005 to 2024 retrieved from the Web of Science Core Collection using CiteSpace, VOSviewer, and the bibliometrix R package. A total of 3,328 articles from 97 countries were included. Publication output increased steadily over the study period, with the United States, China, and the United Kingdom contributing the most publications. Harvard University was the most productive institution, Dr. Slattery ML was the most prolific author, and Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention was the leading journal. Keyword analysis indicated a growing emphasis on lifestyle-related risk factors, survivorship, and prevention-oriented themes in digestive system cancers. Overall, this study provides a comprehensive overview of the evolution of research in this field and may serve as a useful reference for research priority setting, hypothesis generation, and public health discussions. • Bibliometric analysis mapped 3,328 studies on lifestyle and digestive cancers. • Research output increased steadily from 2005 to 2024 across 97 countries. • The United States and China were the leading contributors in this field. • Research focus shifted from mechanisms to prevention and public health. • CRC and physical activity emerged as central themes in the knowledge network.
Zhang et al. (Wed,) studied this question.