Knowledge structure and emerging trends of CAR-T therapy in breast cancer : A bibliometric analysis of the Web of Science Core Collection (2012–2025)
6 affiliations
- 1School of Basic Medical Sciences, Jining Medical University, Jining, Shandong, China
- 2Library, Jining Medical University, Jining, Shandong, China
- 3Department of Practical Teaching Management, Jining Medical University, Jining, Shandong, China
- 4College of Clinical Medicine, Jining Medical University, Jining, Shandong, China
- 5Institute of Immunology and Molecular Medicine, Jining Medical University, Jining, Shandong, China
- 6Jining Key Laboratory of Immunology, Jining Medical University, Jining, Shandong, China.
Abstract
Background:: Chimeric antigen receptor T-cell (CAR-T) has shown clinical efficacy in hematological malignancies and is being explored for application in breast cancer. However, although the literature in this field is growing rapidly, there is still a lack of systematic bibliometric review of its disease-specific knowledge structure, research hotspots and development trends.
Methods:: We retrieved literature on CAR-T therapy for breast cancer published between 2012 and 2025 in the Web of Science Core Collection. Bibliometric tools such as CiteSpace were used to perform bibliometric and visual analyses across multiple dimensions, including publication volume, journals, authors, institutions and countries, keywords, subject categories, and co-citations of references.
Results:: The annual number of related publications shows a sustained increasing trend. Harvard University and its affiliated hospitals rank first globally in terms of both the number of published papers and their centrality. “chimeric antigen receptors” and “adoptive immunotherapy” hold a core position. The cutting-edge topics cover the progress and targeted treatments of triple-negative breast cancer. The reference co-citation analysis yielded 53 clusters, covering topics such as solid tumors, antitumor efficacy and tumor microenvironment, reflecting the knowledge base in this field.
Conclusions:: This study depicts the research pattern and evolution trend of CAR-T therapy in the field of breast cancer. The research focus has shifted from early feasibility exploration to directions such as tumor microenvironment, heterogeneity of target antigens, and combination therapy. Future research can focus on cross-institutional collaboration, expansion of target points, and optimization of CAR structure.
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BibTeX
@article{liu2026knowledge,
title = {{Knowledge structure and emerging trends of CAR-T therapy in breast cancer : A bibliometric analysis of the Web of Science Core Collection (2012–2025)}},
author = {Xue Liu and Yan Gao and Zhiqiang Qu and Yaxin Zhou and Ruiping Jia and Huan Liu and Changying Wang and Huabao Xiong},
journal = {Medicine},
year = {2026},
month = oct,
doi = {10.1097/md.0000000000051342},
url = {https://europepmc.org/article/PMC/PMC13727190},
note = {CC BY},
}
RIS
TY - JOUR
TI - Knowledge structure and emerging trends of CAR-T therapy in breast cancer : A bibliometric analysis of the Web of Science Core Collection (2012–2025)
AU - Xue Liu
AU - Yan Gao
AU - Zhiqiang Qu
AU - Yaxin Zhou
AU - Ruiping Jia
AU - Huan Liu
AU - Changying Wang
AU - Huabao Xiong
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/10/30
JO - Medicine
DO - 10.1097/md.0000000000051342
UR - https://europepmc.org/article/PMC/PMC13727190
AB - Background:: Chimeric antigen receptor T-cell (CAR-T) has shown clinical efficacy in hematological malignancies and is being explored for application in breast cancer. However, although the literature in this field is growing rapidly, there is still a lack of systematic bibliometric review of its disease-specific knowledge structure, research hotspots and development trends. Methods:: We retrieved literature on CAR-T therapy for breast cancer published between 2012 and 2025 in the Web of Science Core Collection. Bibliometric tools such as CiteSpace were used to perform bibliometric and visual analyses across multiple dimensions, including publication volume, journals, authors, institutions and countries, keywords, subject categories, and co-citations of references. Results:: The annual number of related publications shows a sustained increasing trend. Harvard University and its affiliated hospitals rank first globally in terms of both the number of published papers and their centrality. “chimeric antigen receptors” and “adoptive immunotherapy” hold a core position. The cutting-edge topics cover the progress and targeted treatments of triple-negative breast cancer. The reference co-citation analysis yielded 53 clusters, covering topics such as solid tumors, antitumor efficacy and tumor microenvironment, reflecting the knowledge base in this field. Conclusions:: This study depicts the research pattern and evolution trend of CAR-T therapy in the field of breast cancer. The research focus has shifted from early feasibility exploration to directions such as tumor microenvironment, heterogeneity of target antigens, and combination therapy. Future research can focus on cross-institutional collaboration, expansion of target points, and optimization of CAR structure.
SN - 0304-5412
SN - 1536-5964
SN - 0025-7974
ER -