Mapping the current research landscape of metformin in cancer based on bibliometric analysis

Metformin, a widely prescribed first-line treatment for type 2 diabetes, has attracted significant attention for its potential anticancer effects. However, despite the rapid expansion of literature over the past two decades, research on the relationship between metformin and cancer remains highly fragmented, making it difficult to achieve a cohesive understanding of its mechanisms and therapeutic relevance across diverse cancer types. To address this gap, we integrated a bibliometric framework with bioinformatics analyses to systematically map the research landscape and uncover underlying molecular insights. Our findings reveal gene targets such as TP53, SIRT1, and HIF1A, key signaling pathways including AMPK/mTOR and p53, and cancer types like breast and colorectal cancer that are frequently associated with metformin, offering an integrative perspective to inform future cancer research.