Global research trends and translational evolution of CLDN18.2 in oncology: a scientometric analysis (2004–2026)

Aims: Claudin 18.2 (CLDN18.2) has moved from tight-junction biology into the center of biomarker-driven oncology, particularly in gastric and gastroesophageal junction malignancies. With the clinical development of zolbetuximab and newer CLDN18.2-directed therapeutic platforms, the field has expanded rapidly and now requires quantitative mapping rather than narrative description alone. Methods: A bibliometric and scientometric analysis was performed using the Web of Science Core Collection database. Publications related to CLDN18.2 published between 2004 and 2026 were identified using predefined CLDN18.2- and zolbetuximab-related search terms. After document-type and language filtering, 490 English-language articles and reviews were included. Bibliometrix/Biblioshiny and VOSviewer were used to evaluate publication growth, collaboration patterns, citation structure, thematic evolution, and conceptual trends within the literature. Results: The final corpus comprised 490 publications, 3,265 authors, 246 sources, and 15,756 cited references. Annual growth was 23.17%, with a pronounced acceleration after 2018 and a sharp expansion after 2022. Exponential regression outperformed linear modeling, supporting a non-linear growth pattern. China, Japan, the United States, Germany, and South Korea were leading contributors. Productive authors and institutions clustered around translational gastric cancer research and CLDN18.2-targeted therapy development. Keyword and thematic analyses showed a transition from epithelial biology and tight-junction terminology toward gastric cancer, gastroesophageal junction adenocarcinoma, zolbetuximab, biomarker testing, immunotherapy, and targeted therapeutic strategies. Conclusion: CLDN18.2 research has rapidly evolved into a clinically relevant precision-oncology field shaped by biomarker guided gastric cancer therapeutics, international collaboration, and emerging targeted treatment platforms. The continued exponential growth of the literature suggests that CLDN18.2 will likely remain an expanding focus of translational and clinical oncology research.