# Global research trends in immunotherapy for non-small cell lung cancer patients with KRAS mutations: a bibliometric analysis

## TL;DR

This study maps global research trends in immunotherapy for non-small cell lung cancer patients with KRAS mutations, identifying key growth areas and hotspots.

## Contribution

The paper provides a comprehensive bibliometric analysis of immunotherapy research for KRAS-mutant NSCLC, highlighting emerging trends and geographic contributions.

## Key findings

- The number of publications on this topic increased by 34.25% annually from 2014 to 2023.
- China produced the most articles, while the U.S. contributed the most highly cited works.
- Key research hotspots include immune checkpoint inhibitors and co-occurring genomic alterations.

## Abstract

Immunotherapy, frequently combined with conventional chemotherapy, is crucial for treating NSCLC. Kirsten rat sarcoma virus (KRAS) is a poor prognostic factor in patients with NSCLC, particularly lung adenocarcinoma, where binding of conventional inhibitors to mutated KRAS proteins is challenging. Field profiles, research hotspots, and prospects for immunotherapy for patients with NSCLC-carrying KRAS mutations were uncovered in this study.

Microsoft Excel 2019, Bibliometrix, VOSviewer software, and Citespace were utilized to conduct a comprehensive scientometric analysis and understand a specific research field's knowledge base and frontiers aided by bibliometrics.

Between 2014 and 2023, 398 eligible documents in the English language were acquired using the WoSCC database, of which 113 and 285 were reviews and articles, respectively. The growth rate per year was 34.25 %. The most cited articles were from the United States, and China published the highest number of articles. Cancers was the journal, with increased publications in recent years. The keywords with the strongest citation bursts were analyzed using Citespace. "Immune checkpoint inhibitors," "co-occurring genomic alterations," and "KRAS" are among the research hotspots in this field.

Using bibliometric and visual analyses, we examined immunotherapy for patients with KRAS-mutant NSCLC over the previous decade. The whole analysis showed a steady, quick increase in yearly publications in this area. Our findings will provide a roadmap for future research on the mechanisms of immunotherapy and immune checkpoint inhibitor action in treating KRAS-mutant NSCLC.