Background　Renal　cell　carcinoma　(RCC)　is　a　prevalent　tumor　of　the　urinary　system.　Beyond　surgical　treatment,　targeted　therapies　and　immunotherapies　are　the　primary　therapeutic　options　for　RCC.　Although　immunotherapy　has　been　extensively　studied,　research　on　the　association　between　the　immune　checkpoint　PD-1/PD-L1　and　RCC　remains　relatively　novel.　Thus,　we　aim　to　assess　the　global　scientific　outcomes　of　studies　focusing　on　PD-1/PD-L1　in　RCC　from　2005　to　2024　and　to　identify　emerging　research　trends.　Methods　Data　were　collected　from　the　Web　of　Science　Core　Collection　using　a　predefined　search　strategy.　A　total　of　1,597　articles　were　ultimately　included.　In　addition,　258　clinical　trials　registered　on　ClinicalTrials.gov　from　2011　to　2024　were　reviewed　to　evaluate　the　translational　progress　and　global　research　activity.　The　articles　were　visualized　and　analyzed　using　GraphPad　Prism　and　the　bibliometric　tools　CiteSpace　and　VOSviewer.　Results　The　number　of　publications　in　this　field　has　shown　a　consistent　upward　trend,　with　a　marked　increase　starting　in　2013　and　peaking　in　2021.　At　the　national　level,　the　United　States　ranks　first　in　both　the　number　of　publications　(n　=　625)　and　total　citations　(n　=　68,687).　At　the　institutional　level,　Harvard　University　is　the　most　productive　and　most　cited　institution　among　all　contributors.　The　Journal　for　Immunotherapy　of　Cancer　published　the　highest　number　of　articles　(n　=　66),　whereas　the　New　England　Journal　of　Medicine　was　the　most　frequently　co-cited　journal　(n　=　1,300),　indicating　its　authoritative　influence.　Notable　individual　contributors,　including　Choueiri　TK　and　Motzer　RJ,　have　played　pivotal　roles　in　advancing　research,　particularly　in　first-line　combination　therapies　for　RCC.　Frequently　occurring　keywords　such　as　＂immunotherapy,＂　＂nivolumab,＂　＂expression,＂　and　＂immune　checkpoint＂　reflect　current　research　hotspots　and　suggest　future　directions　in　this　domain.　Clinical　trial　analysis　revealed　that　most　studies　were　early-phase,　sponsor-driven,　and　regionally　heterogeneous　in　design　and　outcomes,　highlighting　both　the　promise　and　the　ongoing　challenges　of　clinical　translation.　Conclusion　This　study　provides　domestic　and　international　researchers　with　a　comprehensive　overview　of　the　current　research　landscape　surrounding　PD-1/PD-L1-based　immunotherapy　in　RCC.　Moreover,　it　identifies　emerging　research　trends　and　translational　progress,　thereby　offering　valuable　guidance　for　subsequent　scientific　investigations　and　clinical　application.