Research hotspots and trends in the field of immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) for cervical cancer: A bibliometric study from 2014 to 2024

Hum Vaccin Immunother. 2025 Dec;21(1):2483031. doi: 10.1080/21645515.2025.2483031. Epub 2025 Mar 31.

Abstract

In recent years, immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) have emerged as a novel immunotherapeutic approach, offering renewed hope for enhancing cervical cancer patient prognosis. This study represents the inaugural bibliometric analysis of ICIs in the context of cervical cancer, covering the period from 2014 to 2024. A total of 422 articles were identified through the Web of Science Core Collection database, amassing 10,977 citations, with a consistent annual increase in the number of publications. The leading contributors in terms of countries, institutions, journals, and authors included China, the University of Texas System, Frontiers in Oncology, and Bradley J. Monk, respectively. The journal with the highest frequency of citation and co-citation was Journal of Clinical Oncology. The researchers with the highest number of citations and co-citations were Sarina A Piha-Paul and Krishnansu S Tewari respectively. The keyword cluster analysis identified four main research directions. Furthermore, literature co-citation analysis and burst citation analysis revealed three research hotspots and four potential emerging topics within this domain, respectively. This study provides valuable reference and enlightenment for researchers in this field. As research progresses, ICIs are anticipated to offer significant hope and breakthroughs in the treatment of cervical cancer.

Keywords: Immune checkpoint inhibitors; bibliometric; cervical cancer; emerging topics; hotspots; visualization.

MeSH terms

  • Bibliometrics*
  • Biomedical Research* / trends
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Immune Checkpoint Inhibitors* / therapeutic use
  • Immunotherapy / methods
  • Immunotherapy / trends
  • Uterine Cervical Neoplasms* / drug therapy
  • Uterine Cervical Neoplasms* / immunology
  • Uterine Cervical Neoplasms* / therapy

Substances

  • Immune Checkpoint Inhibitors

Grants and funding

This work was sponsored by the Shandong Province medical health science and technology project [202404010452], the Special Fund for Clinical Research of Wu Jieping Medical Foundation [320.6750.2023-18-114], the PhD Research Fund of Jining NO.1 People's Hospital [2024-BS-004], and the Jining City key research and development plan project [2023YXNS207 and 2024YXNS165].