From feasibility to translational pathways: a bibliometric and knowledge-mapping analysis of urine-based liquid biopsy in urologic cancers (2015-2025).

[BACKGROUND] Urine-based liquid biopsy enables non-invasive, repeat sampling in urologic cancers, yet evidence remains fragmented across diseases, analytes, and platforms. We mapped the research landscape and clinically framed thematic trajectories of the field.

[METHODS] English-language articles and reviews (2015–2025) were retrieved from WoSCC (SCIE) using urologic cancer terms combined with urine/urinary and “liquid biopsy”. CiteSpace, VOSviewer and bibliometrix were used to map collaboration, co-citation, citation bursts and keyword evolution. Robustness was assessed via sensitivity analyses and matched PubMed validation.

[RESULTS] Among 431 publications from 51 countries, output rose steadily and accelerated in 2021. Co-citation and citation-burst analyses suggested a shift from feasibility-oriented method expansion to standardization-oriented, platform-integrative synthesis. Collaboration showed a Europe–North America core with growing East Asian participation. Keywords converged on two clinical streams: prostate cancer diagnostics (urinary RNA/exosome panels and multivariable models for biopsy decision-making) and urothelial cancer monitoring (mutation/methylation assays and enhanced cytology for surveillance and potential cystoscopy de-escalation). Evidence for renal cell carcinoma and rarer urologic cancers remained sparse and largely exploratory, including methylation profiling, extracellular vesicles (EVs) and metabolomics.

[CONCLUSIONS] This bibliometric evidence map delineates disease-specific trajectories and gaps to inform future validation priorities. Bibliometrics reflect research attention, not proven clinical utility.

[SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION] The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12967-026-08043-y.