Research trends and emerging frontiers of tumor-associated macrophages in gastric cancer: a bibliometric analysis

Dec 27, 2025Discover oncology

Research trends and new directions on immune cells linked to stomach cancer

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Abstract

A total of 411 publications on in gastric cancer were identified from 1979 to 2024.

China contributed 284 publications, accounting for 69.1% of the total.
Fudan University was the most productive institution in this research area.
Zhang Heng was the most prolific author with 13 publications and 664 citations.
Co-occurrence analysis identified five primary research clusters: molecular mechanisms, therapeutic strategies, risk factors for gastric cancer, metastasis of gastric cancer, and macrophage polarization.
Prominent keywords since 2021 include 'microenvironment,' 'immune infiltration,' and 'immunotherapy,' suggesting ongoing interest in therapeutic strategies.

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BACKGROUND: (TAMs) constitute pivotal cellular constituents within the tumor microenvironment (TME), exerting profound influences on gastric cancer (GC) pathogenesis and progression. This bibliometric investigation systematically evaluates worldwide research trends, delineates predominant contributing entities, and elucidates evolving research frontiers in this domain.

METHODS: This study conducted a comprehensive utilizing data extracted from the Web of Science Core Collection on December 18, 2024. For analytical processing and visualization, we employed multiple specialized tools including VOSviewer, CiteSpace, and the R package "bibliometrix" for comprehensive bibliometric indicators.

RESULTS: A total of 411 publications on TAMs in GC were identified from 1979 to 2024. China was the leading contributor, with 284 publications (69.1%), and Fudan University emerged as the most productive institution. Zhang Heng was the most prolific author, with 13 publications and 664 citations. The most influential journals in this field included Frontiers in Oncology, Journal of Cancer, and BMC Cancer. Co-occurrence analysis revealed five primary research clusters: molecular mechanisms, therapeutic strategies, risk factors for GC, metastasis of GC, and TAMs polarization. Notably, keywords such as "microenvironment," "immune infiltration," "immunotherapy," "nivolumab," "inhibition," "chemotherapy," and "T cells" have remained prominent since 2021, indicating a continued focus on advancing therapeutic strategies for GC.

CONCLUSION: This bibliometric analysis highlights the rapid expansion of research on TAMs in GC, with key research areas including molecular mechanisms underlying TAM functionality, TAM-mediated metastatic processes in GC, therapeutic interventions targeting TAMs, and determinants of TAM polarization. The emerging frontier emphasizes reprogramming of TAM polarization from M2 into M1 combined with rRT, marking a significant area of focus for future investigations.

Key numbers

284

Publications from China

Total publications on in gastric cancer from 1979 to 2024.

9.22%

Annual publication growth rate

Annualized growth rate of publications on in gastric cancer.

Peak publications in 2024

Number of publications on in gastric cancer in the year 2024.

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Research trends and emerging frontiers of tumor-associated macrophages in gastric cancer: a bibliometric analysis

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