Bibliometric and visualized analysis of global distribution and research frontiers in tumor immune escape.

Background: Tumor cells employ various mechanisms to evade detection and attack by the immune system, a phenomenon known as tumor immune escape, which represents a significant target for immunotherapy. Both primary and secondary immune escape mechanisms pose substantial challenges that hinder the efficacy of immunotherapy. This study aims to systematically examine the knowledge structure, hotspot frontiers, emerging trends, and future directions in the field of tumor immune escape through the application of bibliometric methods and knowledge mapping analysis. Methods: A comprehensive search of the Web of Science Core Collection (WoSCC) was conducted for publications pertaining to tumor immune escape from January 1, 2015, to November 30, 2024. The annual publication data retrieved from the WoSCC were analyzed utilizing Microsoft Office Excel 2019. Furthermore, bibliometric analysis and visualization were executed using VOSviewer, Biblioshiny, and CiteSpace. Results: This study encompassed a total of 11,128 articles published across 1,612 journals, authored by 71,684 individuals affiliated with 9,254 institutions in 121 countries. The United States, China, and Germany emerged as the leading contributors to this field, collectively accounting for 79.99% of all publications. Notable international collaboration was observed between the United States and China. Frontiers in Immunology, Nature Communications, the Journal for ImmunoTherapy of Cancer, and Nature were identified as the four most influential journals in tumor immune escape research. Zhang Wei was noted for the highest publication output, while Freeman Gordon J achieved the highest citation rate. Fudan University was recognized as the most productive institution, whereas Harvard Medical School was acknowledged as the most cited institution. Current hotspot frontiers in tumor immune escape research include immunotherapy, the tumor microenvironment, PD-L1, and PD-1. Additionally, emerging frontiers in recent years encompass immune checkpoint inhibitors, immune infiltration, natural killer cells, extracellular vesicles, immunogenic cell death, metabolism, ferroptosis, melanoma, lung adenocarcinoma, and prognosis. Conclusion: A comprehensive investigation into the mechanisms of tumor immune escape is essential for overcoming the existing challenges in immunotherapy. This study systematically analyzes the current state, research frontiers, and future directions, identifying the most prolific and highly cited documents, journals, authors, institutions, and countries in the field of tumor immune escape.