Bibliometric analysis and knowledge mapping of thoracic SMARCA4-deficient undifferentiated tumor

BACKGROUND: Thoracic SMARCA4-deficient undifferentiated tumor (SMARCA4-UT) is a rare and highly aggressive malignancy with poor prognosis and no established standard therapy. This study aimed to map the research landscape of SMARCA4-UT through bibliometric analysis to guide clinical decision-making and research prioritization. METHODS: Publications on thoracic SMARCA4-UT were retrieved from the Web of Science Core Collection and Scopus from 2000 to 2025. After screening, 132 articles and reviews were included. Bibliometrix and CiteSpace were used to analyze publication trends, geographic and institutional distribution, author productivity, collaboration networks, keyword evolution, thematic structure, and highly cited articles. RESULTS: SMARCA4-UT research expanded rapidly, with 31.95% annual growth rate and 32.25 average citations per article, reflecting rising academic impact. China (28.8%) and Japan (23.5%) led global output, forming a China-US dual-core collaboration network. Mechanistic studies on the SWI/SNF complex and BRG1 are mature, while clinical and therapeutic research remains underdeveloped. Temporal analysis revealed a shift toward diagnostic standardization after the 2021 WHO classification. CONCLUSIONS: SMARCA4-UT research is in a rapid growth phase, with a substantial gap between mechanistic advances and clinical translation. Immunochemotherapy is the current first-line backbone, while targeted and combinatorial strategies remain exploratory. These findings provide evidence-based guidance for clinical practice and research design, highlighting the urgent need for biomarker-driven therapy and large-scale international collaboration to improve patient outcomes.