BioBERT-powered synergy: advanced bibliometric and molecular insights into prostate cancer bone metastasis

Prostate cancer (PC) is a leading cause of male cancer mortality, with bone metastasis (BM) being a frequent and debilitating complication. Despite therapeutic advancements, the molecular mechanisms underlying BM remain poorly understood. This study aims to bridge this gap by integrating bibliometric analysis with bioinformatics to provide a comprehensive overview of the academic trends and molecular profiles associated with prostate cancer bone metastasis (PCBM).

We conducted a bibliometric analysis to identify key contributors in PCBM research from 2004 to 2024 with advanced tools like BioBERT to mine gene and disease entities from the abstracts of relevant articles. Gene expression data from GSE32269 was analyzed to identify differentially expressed genes (DEGs), followed by enrichment analyses for biological functions and pathways.

The bibliometric review showed an increasing trend in research output, focusing on therapeutic strategies and biomarkers. Bioinformatics analysis revealed various DEGs, significantly enriched in immune response and cell adhesion pathways. Semantic relationship analysis highlighted potential shared pathways between genes and diseases, offering clues for novel immunotherapy targets.

By integrating bibliometric analysis with bioinformatics, this study provides new insights into PCBM. Specifically, our findings emphasize the impact of reprogramming on immune cells and its role in reshaping the tumor microenvironment to support cancer cells' evasion of immune surveillance and promotion of metastasis. These results suggest that targeting immune checkpoints and innovative combination therapies may be critical directions for improving outcomes in prostate cancer patients.