Mapping a Decade of Breast Cancer Research in Morocco: A Bibliometric Analysis (2010–2022)

This study aimed to describe the state of breast cancer research based on PubMed data over the past twelve years (from 2010 to 2022) in Morocco.

To conduct this bibliometric study, we began by implementing a selection strategy through a “search equation”. We specified the time filter “between 2010 and 2022,” which enabled us to select a sample of all available articles on PubMed written by Moroccan authors and focused on breast cancer in women. The sample included 506 articles of various types. We performed data processing and statistical analysis using SPSS 21 and Excel 2016.

A total of 256 publications met our inclusion criteria, indicating an increasing trend in breast cancer scientific production, with a majority of Moroccan affiliations (90.2%). Of the publications, 37% were case reports, and 82.8% had no funding. Doctors of medicine were the most productive (46.5%), and 89.5% of the publications came from academic institutions, with 93.4% from public institutions. In our study, 64.5% of the publications were the result of national collaborations, compared to 28.1% involving international collaborations. Notably, only a small percentage (16%) of the studies received international funding, primarily from high-income countries (53.7%). Finally, most journals were located in the United Kingdom and the United States, with all journals requiring English-written articles and only three accepting French-written articles. All journals were indexed in Web of Science and Scopus in 94.7%.

Breast cancer research in Morocco requires an enabling environment, quality education for health professionals, and enhanced collaboration.