SynthesisFrontiers in oncology2026
Mitochondrial transfer in cancer: a global bibliometric analysis.
Synthesis in Frontiers in oncology, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.
What it found
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The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
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Who cites it
0 citing papers in PubMed.
No citing paper in PubMed yet.
Corrections and comments
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Authors and funding
8 authors.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
Background: Mitochondrial transfer is increasingly recognized as a biologically meaningful mode of intercellular communication in cancer. Its involvement in tumor metabolism, microenvironmental interaction, therapeutic adaptation, and immune regulation has driven rapid growth of the field. However, bibliometric assessment of its global research landscape has remained lacking. Methods: A bibliometric analysis was performed using literature retrieved from the Web of Science Core Collection, Scopus, and PubMed. English-language articles and reviews published between 1981 and 2025 were included. Bibliometrix, CiteSpace, and VOSviewer were used to evaluate publication trends, countries, institutions, authors, journals, citation networks, and keyword co-occurrence patterns. Results: A total of 184 publications were identified. Annual output increased sharply after 2016 and reached a peak of 48 papers in 2025. The literature was distributed across 117 journals, with 16 core journals identified according to Bradford's law. The principal citation pathway extended from molecular, biology, and immunology journals to molecular, biology, and genetics journals, indicating a knowledge base rooted mainly in molecular and cellular mechanisms. China ranked first in publication output, followed by the United States. INSERM, Changhua Christian Hospital, and Sichuan University were the leading institutions. Neuzil J was the most productive author, whereas Berridge MV had the highest citation impact. The most cited reference was "Mitochondrial transfer between cells can rescue aerobic respiration". Keyword evolution indicated a thematic shift from earlier emphases on mesenchymal stem cells, tunneling nanotubes, and mitochondrial transfer toward mitochondrial transplantation and the tumor microenvironment. Conclusions: Research on mitochondrial transfer in cancer has progressed from early mechanistic observation to a rapidly expanding field with increasing translational relevance. Current hotspots center on mitochondrial transplantation, tumor-microenvironment interactions, metabolic adaptation, and therapy-related biological processes such as chemoresistance and apoptosis. Further progress will require stronger causal validation, methodological standardization, and closer integration with clinically relevant models.
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Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.