Mapping the global intellectual landscape of inflammatory tumor microenvironment in colorectal cancer pathogenesis and prognostic research since this century

TL;DR

This paper maps the global research on how inflammation in the tumor environment affects colorectal cancer progression and prognosis.

Contribution

The study provides a novel bibliometric analysis of inflammatory tumor microenvironment research in colorectal cancer.

Findings

1593 articles on CRC inflammatory TME were identified from 2000 to 2024.

Cancers and Frontiers in Immunology were the most popular journals in this field.

Key research hotspots include immunomodulatory mechanisms and precision therapeutics in CRC.

Abstract

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is one of the most prevalent gastrointestinal tumors worldwide. Complex interactions between tumor microenvironment (TME) and host inflammatory response influence CRC progression and recurrence. The current study provides a comprehensive bibliometric visualization of the current state and frontier trends of inflammatory TME in CRC.

Scientific publications on the inflammatory TME in CRC from 2000 to 2024 were retrieved from the Web of Science Core Collection (WoSCC) database. Biblioshiny software was mainly applied for visualization and analysis of literature. CiteSpace software and VOSviewer software were used to validate the results.

A total of 1593 articles related to CRC inflammatory TME have been retrieved since the 21st century. Cancers and Frontiers in Immunology were the two most popular journals, and Cancer Research is the most cited journal. Mcmillan DC, Park JH and Mantovani A were the most academic influential authors in inflammatory TME in CRC.

This study preliminary visualize the association of inflammatory TME with CRC through bibliometric analysis. The immunomodulatory mechanisms in IBD-associated carcinogenesis, NF-κB-mediated TME remodeling in tumor progression, and CRC patient stratification and precision therapeutics were three hotspots for future research endeavors on the inflammatory TME in CRC research.

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s12672-025-03524-w.

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