Global research landscape and trends of cancer stem cells: visualization biology analysis

Abstract

Abstract Background Cancer stem cells (CSCs) are a subset of cells with self-renewal ability and tumor generating potential. Accumulated evidence has revealed that CSCs were shown to contribute to tumorigenesis, metastasis, recurrence and resistance to chemoradiotherapy. Therefore, CSCs were regarded as promising therapeutic targets in cancer. This study aims to reveal the development process, research hotspots, and trends of CSCs research through bibliometric methods. Methods All relevant publications on CSCs with more than 100 citations during 1997–2023 were extracted from the Science Citation Index Expanded of Web of Science Core Collection (WoSCC), and related information was collected and analyzed using Microsoft Excel 2019, GraphPad Prism 8, VOSviewer, Citespace and “bibliometrix” packages of the R software. Results A total of 2521 papers were included. Cancer Research published the largest number of papers (184 papers). The USA accounted for the most publications (1326 papers). Rich, JN was the author with the most publications (56 papers) and the highest M-index (3.111). The most contributive institution was the University of Texas System (164 papers). Before 2007, research mainly focused on the definition and recognition of CSCs. Between 2007 and 2016, with the emergence of the terms such as "sonic hedgehog", "metabolism", “oxidative phosphorylation” and “epithelial mesenchymal transition”, research began to shift toward exploring the mechanisms of CSCs. In 2016, the focus transitioned to the tumor microenvironment and the ecological niches. The analysis of papers published in major journals since 2021 showed that “transcription”, “inhibition”, and “chemoresistance” emerged as new focused issues. Conclusion There has been a growing number of research on CSCs. The USA has always been a leading position in this field. In general, the research focus has gradually shifted from basic biology to clinical transformation. “Tumor microenvironment” and “chemoresistance” should be given more attention in the future.