Current perspectives and global trends of nanotechnology in advanced breast cancer: a bibliometric and visualized analysis

Despite advancements in diagnosis and treatment methods for advanced breast cancer (ABC), a more extensive breast cancer (BC) stage with heterogeneity in clinical features, its clinical management remains a substantial challenge. Furthermore, although research on nanotechnology (NT)-based ABC treatment has recently gained significant attention, studies intuitively examining this discipline are quite scarce. Therefore, we aimed to comprehensively assess the current status and emerging trends in NT-based ABC treatments. Studies focusing on NT application in ABC treatment were retrieved from the Web of Science Core Collection (WOSCC) database. Bibliometric and visual analyses were then performed using CiteSpace and VOSviewer software. Herein, 3531 papers were included. From 2005 to 2024, annual publications on NT use in ABC treatment increased, mostly from China and the United States, accounting for 1139 and 1032 publications, respectively. Furthermore, the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) was the most prominent institution, with Yaping Li as the leading author in studies on NT-based ABC treatment. Additionally, the Journal of Controlled Release had the highest number of publications while Cancer Research was the most cited journal. Moreover, the most widely studied areas were therapeutic intervention and metastatic breast cancer (MBC), while solid lipid nanoparticles (LNPs), targeted therapy, and tumor microenvironment (TME) were the latest research focal points. This study provides a comprehensive overview of NT use in ABC treatment over the past two decades. Specifically, it evaluated the contributions of countries, authors, and institutions, and identified research hotspots and emerging frontiers, providing novel perspectives and laying the groundwork for future investigations.