Current Status, Hotspots, and Future Directions of Research on the Treatment of Medullary Thyroid Carcinoma: A Bibliometric Analysis and Systematic Evaluation

Background Medullary thyroid carcinoma (MTC) is a rare neuroendocrine tumor for which some of the current treatments are controversial or still in the preliminary stages of research. Methods In this study, we searched the relevant literature in the Web of Science core database from its inception to June 2024. After screening, we performed bibliometric analyses using CiteSpace and Microsoft Excel. Results In total, 1694 articles were included in this study. In this field of research, American and Italian institutes lead in the number of papers. Wells SA is the most influential author in this field and J CLIN ENDOCR METAB is the most cited journal. Management, calcitonin, RET gene, surgery, antiangiogenic therapy, tyrosine kinase inhibitors, and peptide receptor radionuclide therapy are the hot research areas in the field of MTC treatment. Prophylactic thyroidectomy, targeted therapy, peptide receptor radionuclide therapy, and positron emission tomography are future research frontiers and global trends. Conclusions Research in this field has focused on surgical treatment, targeted therapy, radiotherapy, imaging and treatment management. Based on the results of the bibliometric analysis, a systematic assessment of the current status and future research directions of various treatment options for MTC was conducted, providing new ideas for further research in the field of MTC treatment.