Global research trends and evidence-based clinical efficacy of photodynamic therapy in gynecology: A bibliometric analysis (2010–2025)

BACKGROUND: Photodynamic therapy (PDT) has demonstrated broad application prospects in treating gynecological diseases such as human papillomavirus (HPV) infection, cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN), and vulvar lichen sclerosus (VLS), due to its non-invasiveness, targeting capability, and low side effects. However, the bibliometric characteristics of this field remain unexplored. METHODS: On March 26, 2026, we retrieved literature from the Web of Science Core Collection (WoSCC) database covering publications from January 1, 2010, to December 31, 2025. A total of 748 publications (545 articles, 203 review articles) were included after data cleaning. Visualization analysis was performed using VOSviewer, CiteSpace, Bibliometrix, and Excel 2023. RESULTS: Publication numbers showed a significant upward trend, peaking at 93 articles in 2022, with synchronous citation increases (2227 citations in 2022). China led in publication volume (310 articles), followed by the United States (109 articles). The United States exhibited higher international cooperation intensity (total link strength 48) compared to China (12). Southern Medical University (28 articles) was the most productive institution, and Zeng Kang was the leading author. Keyword clustering revealed "photodynamic therapy" and "human papillomavirus" as core themes. Burst keywords included "human papillomavirus infection" (2010-2017, strength 4.23) and "5-aminolevulinic acid photodynamic therapy" (2021-2025, strength 6.25). Clinical data extraction from burst core literature showed that ALA-PDT achieved a 64.3%-82.5% clearance rate for high-risk HPV in the cervix and a > 70% regression rate for cervical lesions. For VLS, the total effective rate was 64%-91%, with good safety and no impact on reproductive function. CONCLUSION: Research interest in PDT for gynecological diseases continues to rise, with HPV infection and PDT treatment as core directions. The efficient, safe evidence-based data extracted from the literature further consolidates PDT's potential as a preferred non-invasive treatment. Future research should strengthen international cooperation and clinical translation.