Immunotherapy has emerged as a crucial advancement in pulmonary carcinoma treatment. Nevertheless, its unique side effects not only reduce patients' quality of life but also affect treatment efficacy, with severe cases potentially endangering the patient's life. This study uses bibliometric analysis to perform a comprehensive bibliometric analysis literature on IRAEs in lung cancer from 1991 to 2023, retrieved from the Web of Science database. The dataset was analyzed using VOSviewer and CiteSpace to identify trends, key contributors, and emerging research areas. A total of 124 publications were analyzed, revealing a notable increase in research activity post-2015, with China and the USA contributing over 50% of the studies. This research highlights the importance of understanding IRAEs and suggests future investigations into the pulmonary microbiota and tumor microenvironment.