Unraveling Research Trends and Hotspots of Genetic Variants in Acute Leukemias: A Web of Science and Scopus-Based Bibliometric Study.

BACKGROUND

Acute myeloid leukemia and acute lymphoblastic leukemia are acute leukemias frequently affecting adult and pediatric patients, respectively. Relapse and treatment resistance remain the primary limitations of standard treatments for acute leukemias. This study aimed to uncover the research trends and hotspots of acute leukemias in the past 10 years.

METHODS

The publications were retrieved from the Web of Science and Scopus databases, and the software tools, including Harzing's Publish or Perish, Microsoft Excel, and VOSviewer, were utilized for data analysis and visualization.

RESULTS

This study analysed 5,544 publications from 2015 to 2024, showing the fluctuating trends of publication over the years, peaking in 2021. The University of Texas System and St. Jude Children's Research Hospital were the most prolific and globally influential organizations, with 274 total publication (TP) and 1,065 total link strength (TLS), respectively. Blood is the top-ranked journal, featuring a total of 180 publications. Europe emerges as the top-contributor continent with robust international collaboration (TP = 3,629; TLS = 9,371). The United States becomes a top-performing country with TP, TLS, and citation values of 1,840, 1,655, and 83,210, respectively. The co-occurrence analysis of author keywords reveals gene mutations, genetic polymorphisms, and chemotherapy as the significant research hotspots.

CONCLUSION

The research hotspots that have been identified in this study are transitioning from cytogenetic abnormalities to genomic technologies and targeted therapeutic strategies. The integration of these hotspots reflects a robust growth that emphasizes precision medicine. Further investigations that incorporate multidisciplinary approaches are necessary, as they might contribute to better management of acute leukemias.