A bibliometric analysis of malignant pleural mesothelioma from 2010 to 2023

Journal of Thoracic Cancer 2025 April 30 [Link]

Sheng Chen, Ce Zhao, Ruiqi Liu, Wenjie Jiao

Abstract

Background: Malignant pleural mesothelioma (MPM) is an aggressive tumor originating from the mesothelial lining of the pleural cavity. It is characterized by extensive nodular pleural thickening and has a propensity to invade the pleural adipose tissue and adjacent chest structures. The prognosis is poor, with a median survival time rarely exceeding 12 months following diagnosis.

Methods: This bibliometric analysis systematically assessed global trends in MPM research from 2010 to 2023 using 6,487 publications indexed in PubMed. Quantitative evaluations of publication metrics, international collaboration, and keyword co-occurrence networks were conducted using R software with the bibliometrix package. Network construction and thematic mapping were employed to analyze the temporal evolution of research topics.

Results: The United States and Europe have played pivotal roles in this research, while contributions from China and Japan have been steadily increasing. Traditional treatment approaches and etiological studies are relatively well-established. Meanwhile, immunotherapy has emerged as a prominent focus of recent research.

Conclusions: Future global collaboration in this field should be enhanced, as precision medicine related to immunology and genetics has the potential to transform the treatment landscape of MPM.