A bibliometric analysis of research evolution on peritoneal metastasis in colorectal cancer (2000-2026): advances in molecular mechanisms and therapeutic strategies.

BACKGROUND: Peritoneal metastasis from colorectal cancer (pmCRC) is a major form of distant spread and generally confers a poor prognosis. This study aimed to evaluate its global research activity, hotspots, and emerging trends through a bibliometric analysis. METHODS: We searched the Web of Science Core Collection, PubMed, and Scopus for English-language pmCRC articles and reviews published from January 1, 2000, to March 31, 2026. Bibliometric analyses were performed using tools such as CiteSpace (v6.3), VOSviewer (v1.6.20), and R software (v4.5.0). RESULTS: A total of 1,611 publications were included. The United States produced the highest number of publications (n = 304), followed closely by China (n = 289) and the Netherlands (n = 203). Catharina Hospital emerged as the most productive institution (74 publications), while Ignace H.J.T. De Hingh was identified as the leading contributor based on publication volume and co-authorship linkage strength. Annals of Surgical Oncology was the most influential journal (161 publications). Keyword cluster analysis revealed four major research themes: surgical treatment, molecular mechanisms, chemotherapy, and prognosis. Citation burst analysis showed that "multicenter" had the highest burst strength, while "circulating tumor DNA" and "machine learning" have emerged as recent ongoing hotspots. CONCLUSIONS: This bibliometric analysis provides an overview of pmCRC research over the past two decades. The field has evolved from optimizing surgical techniques toward molecular exploration and precision medicine. Emerging hotspots, including ctDNA, machine learning, and multicenter trials, point toward dynamic multi-omics monitoring and collaborative clinical validation.