A bibliometric analysis of metabolic reprogramming in the tumor microenvironment from 2003 to 2022

Despite the considerable progress achieved in the field of cancer immunotherapy over the past few years, a large number of patients fail to benefit from these therapies due to insufficient alteration of the immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment (TME), which facilitates the evasion of anti-tumor immunotherapy. Metabolic reprogramming is emerging as an important hallmark of tumorigenesis and has a major effect on remodeling the tumor immune microenvironment and the response to cancer immunotherapy. However, only a limited number of studies have summarized the research trends and hotspots in metabolic reprogramming from the perspective of tumors and immune cells. Therefore, we aimed to comprehensively explore current research status and hot topics in TME-related metabolic reprogramming over a 20-year period using a bibliometric approach. Studies focusing on metabolic reprogramming and the TME were searched from the WOSCC database. Bibliometric and visual analyses of the included articles and reviews were performed using Bibliometrix (R-Tool in R-Studio), VOSviewer, and CiteSpace. A total of 4726 articles published between 2003 and 2022 were selected. The quantity of publications and citations exhibited an annual growth. Cooperation network analysis indicated that the United States holds the foremost position in the field of metabolic reprogramming and TME research, having the highest volume of publications and citations, thus exerting the greatest influence. Among the institutions, Fudan University displayed the highest level of productivity. Regarding publications in this field, Frontiers in Immunology emerged as the journal with the most extensive number of contributions. Ho Ping-Chih made the most article contributions; Pearce Edward J., was the most co-cited author. Four clusters were obtained after clustering analysis of the authors’ keywords with tumor microenvironment and immunotherapy, metabolic reprogramming and glycolysis, immunometabolism and gut microbiota, and immune and extracellular vesicles being the main topics. Immunometabolism, glycolysis, immune cells, and tumor-associated macrophages are relatively recent burst keywords that have attracted increasing attention.A comprehensive landscape of advancements in metabolic reprogramming and the TME was studied, which can provide crucial information for scholars to further advance this promising field. Further research should explore new topics related to immunometabolism in the TME using a transdisciplinary approach.