Research hotspots and trends in biliary tract cancers immunotherapy are revealed by a bibliometric study spanning the years 2014 to 2024.

BACKGROUND

This bibliometric study aimed to map the global research landscape of immunotherapy for biliary tract cancers (BTC) from 2014 to 2023, identifying key contributors and emerging trends.

METHODS

We analyzed 481 English-language articles retrieved from the Web of Science Core Collection (2014-2023) using CiteSpace. Parameters included coauthorship, co-citation, keyword co-occurrence, and burst detection.

RESULTS

Annual publications surged by 80% in 2021 versus 2020. China dominated output (50% of publications), with Fudan University as the top institution. Fan Jia was the most prolific author (7 papers). High-frequency keywords included gemcitabine (first-line chemotherapy), tumor microenvironment, and T cells. Burst keywords indicated emerging foci: tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes and growth factor receptor (e.g., HER2/ERBB2). The most co-cited study (Piha-Paul et al, 2020; 106 citations) reported pembrolizumab efficacy in BTC.

CONCLUSION

Research accelerated post-2020, driven by clinical trials. China, Fudan University, and Fan Jia are central to BTC immunotherapy research. Future priorities include targeting HER2 and the tumor microenvironment.