A Bibliometric Analysis of African Cancer Research Output and its Implication for Cancer Incidence and Mortality

Objective: Cancer mortality has been a menace to the healthcare system over the past three decades. The majority of the cancer mortality globally comes from low- and middle-income countries, and it remains a significant public health challenge in Africa, with considerable disparities in research productivity, cancer incidence, and outcomes across the continent. Method: This study examines scholarly outputs in cancer research (n = 1331) from African authors by country in 12 journals on the Scopus database over the space of ten years (2014–2023). The publication counts, citation metrics, and 2020 cancer reports (cases, mortality, mortality-to-incidence ratio, and mortality rates) were used to explore potential relationships between research activity and health outcomes across African countries. Results: The findings show that Egypt and South Africa lead the continent in cancer research outputs, which correlates with lower cancer MIR, while many countries, particularly in sub-Saharan Africa with low research outputs, such as Somalia, Niger, and the Central African Republic, document some of the highest MIR, emphasizing the urgent need for investment in cancer research and healthcare systems. Conclusion: This study highlights significant disparities in cancer research productivity and outcomes across Africa, with higher research activity linked to reduced mortality rates. Furthermore, regional and international collaboration is essential to address these disparities and improve cancer outcomes across the continent.