Global trajectory and future prospects of metronomic chemotherapy research: A scientometric analysis (2000-2022)

Abstract

This scientometric study aimed to provide a first comprehensive overview of the global research landscape of Metronomic Chemotherapy (MC) from 2000 to 2022 using a data-driven approach to identify key trends, collaborations, and potential opportunities. This study highlights the increasing prevalence of MC, with annual outputs increasing substantially over the same timeframe. The United States contributed the most to MC research, followed by Italy and China, while there was a lack of collaborative research efforts between countries and organizations. Through keyword co-occurrence analysis, we identified emerging interdisciplinary research areas, such as “nanoparticles,” “immunotherapy,” and “antitumor immunity.” Our citation analysis identified the most influential authors, institutions, and journals, providing a comprehensive overview of the structure of knowledge and dissemination of MC research. Although the number of publications has decreased since 2019, the analysis indicates that this field has received substantial scholarly attention. These discoveries are extremely important for researchers, funding organizations, and policymakers because they highlight the need for more collaboration, interdisciplinary approaches, and resource allocation in underrepresented fields. This study concludes with recommendations for guiding future research and collaboration, resulting in a larger impact and fostering substantial advancements in MC research.