A Bibliometric Analysis of HPV-Positive Oropharyngeal Squamous Cell Carcinoma from 2000 to 2023

Human-papillomavirus-positive oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma (HPV-positive OPSCC) is a distinct disease characterized by unique clinical and molecular features compared to HPV-negative OPSCC. A comprehensive bibliometric analysis of HPV-positive OPSCC research was conducted in this study to identify key trends, research hotspots, and emerging frontiers in the field. Data were retrieved from the Web of Science Core Collection database. The distributions of contributors, including countries, institutions, authors, journals, and cooperative networks related to HPV-positive OPSCC, were analyzed and visualized using VOSviewer 1.6.20, CiteSpace 6.3.R1, and the R package Bibliometrix 4.0.0. In addition, the most influential publications and high-frequency keywords were identified and analyzed to discern key topics in this field. A total of 3895 articles and reviews on HPV-positive OPSCC were identified, involving 106 countries, 620 journals, and 18949 authors. The main contributors include the USA (1908 publications), Johns Hopkins University (310 publications), the journal Head and Neck (320 publications), and Erich M. Sturgis (94 publications). The top three keywords are "survival", "radiotherapy", and "p16". There has been a steadily increasing research interest in HPV-positive OPSCC over the last 23 years. Current studies focus on diagnosis, treatment strategies, prognosis, recurrence, and disease surveillance. This bibliometric analysis highlights key contributors and emerging themes, offering insights for future research directions.