Bibliometric analysis of research trends and synthetic approaches for anticancer quinazoline analogs from 1992 to 2024

Quinazoline derivatives have emerged as a pivotal class of heterocyclic compounds in anticancer drug discovery, demonstrating significant therapeutic efficacy against various malignancies through diverse mechanisms such as kinase inhibition, apoptosis induction, and cell cycle arrest. This hybrid review integrates a comprehensive bibliometric analysis with a detailed pharmacological evaluation to examine global research trends in quinazoline synthesis for cancer applications from 1992 to 2024. utilizing the Scopus database (n=423 publications). Key findings include a publication peak in 2018 (45 articles), dominance by Asian countries (China: 887 articles; India: 480; Egypt: 370), and prominent institutions like Al-Azhar University (104 articles). Keyword and thematic analyses uncovered a significant shift in research focus, with "molecular docking" and "IC50" emerging as recent trends, alongside established concepts like "synthesis" and "kinase inhibitors." The study integrates bibliometric insights with pharmacological discussions, including a systematic review of synthetic methodologies, a detailed structure–activity relationship (SAR) analysis, and an exploration of novel hybrids such as quinazoline-triazoles. The review also highlights the therapeutic potential of quinazoline derivatives as multi-target inhibitors and their role in overcoming drug resistance. Limitations include Scopus-only data potential citation biases toward older publications. Future directions emphasize the integration of nanotechnology, the development of multi-target inhibitors, and the application of AI-driven approaches to accelerate drug discovery and clinical translation.