The state of cancer research and its association with the cancer burden in Ecuador: a bibliometric study

Purpose: Cancer has emerged as a major public health concern in Ecuador, reflecting global trends. Thus, it is imperative to understand the country´s cancer research landscape. We aim to conduct a bibliometric analysis of Ecuadorian cancer research publications from 2008 to 2021 to identify research trends, institutional contributions, international collaborations, and the association with the national cancer burden. Methods: Articles were retrieved from Scopus, PubMed, and LILACS databases. Descriptive statistics and chi-square tests were employed to analyze different bibliometric indicators. Results: A marked increase in cancer-related research output was observed, particularly after 2014. The most common study designs were case reports (n = 244, 30.7%), cross-sectional studies (n = 174, 21.9%) and review articles (n = 131, 16.5%). Universities were the main contributors to national cancer research, accounting for 32.4% (n = 256) of all publications, with private institutions more frequently publishing in higher-ranked journals. Collaborative efforts between universities and hospitals represented 25.3% (n = 200) of publications, though 45.1% of these were indexed in the lowest SCImago Journal Rank quartile (Q4). The most frequently studied cancer types by body location/system were gastrointestinal, gynecologic, and breast cancer. This trend contrasts with national cancer statistics reported in 2022, in which the most common cancer types were breast, prostate (genitourinary), and stomach (gastrointestinal) cancers. Conclusion: Our study provides a comprehensive overview of oncology research in Ecuador over a 14-year period. While research output has increased, there remains a need to enhance research quality and ensure closer alignment with the country’s primary cancer burdens to better inform national cancer control strategies.