Bibliometric and visualization analysis of nanotechnology in bladder cancer (2011-2025)
Introduction: Nanotechnology has demonstrated considerable potential in the diagnosis and treatment of bladder cancer and has emerged as a major research focus in this field. However, there is currently a lack of systematic bibliometric analysis examining the developmental trends and knowledge structure of this interdisciplinary area.
Objective: This study aims to systematically review the literature on nanotechnology in bladder cancer research over the past 15 years, comprehensively reveal the current research status, development trajectory, and knowledge structure of this interdisciplinary field, and identify current research hotspots and frontier directions.
Methods: This study, based on the Web of Science Core Collection database, retrieved and analyzed 1,420 research articles on nanotechnology and bladder cancer published between 2011 and 2025. Bibliometric tools, including VOSviewer and CiteSpace, were utilized to conduct visual and quantitative analyses of publication trends, contributions by countries/regions and institutions, core authors, journal distributions, and keyword co-occurrence and evolution.
Results: Between 2011 and 2025, the annual publication output showed a consistent overall growth trend. China led in terms of total publication volume, international collaboration, and influence. The most influential research institution was the Chinese Academy of Sciences. The journal with the most publications was the International Journal of Nanomedicine. The most influential author was Wu Song. Comprehensive analysis indicates that research hotspots primarily focus on the development of novel nanomaterials and technologies, the construction of targeted drug delivery systems, nanotechnology-based therapeutic strategies for bladder cancer, and advances in diagnosis and imaging. In summary, the research frontier is rapidly advancing toward mechanistic depth, intelligent design, and clinical relevance.
Conclusion: This study provides the first comprehensive bibliometric and visual analysis of the interdisciplinary field of nanotechnology applied to bladder cancer, systematically revealing its development history, knowledge structure, and evolutionary dynamics. The findings offer valuable insights into current research priorities, emerging directions, and planning future research trajectories.
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