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Injectable Supramolecular Polymer-Nanoparticle Hydrogels for Cell and Drug Delivery Applications
Published on: February 7, 2021
Hydrogels in cancer treatment: mapping the future of precision drug delivery
Xiang Liu1, Qiang Zhou2, Yue Yang1
1College of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Jiangsu College of Nursing, Huaian, Jiangsu, China.
Background:
Current primary tumor treatments include curative resection, chemotherapy, and radiotherapy. However, these conventional methods lack precise drug delivery. Hydrogels, adaptable to the biological characteristics of different tumors, offer potential as drug delivery systems and represent a significant area of research in tumor treatment. In this study, we aimed to conduct a bibliometric analysis to reveal the current progress and future prospects of hydrogels for drug delivery in cancer.
Methods:
Publications concerning hydrogels in tumor drug delivery were retrieved from the Web of Science Core Collection (WoSCC) database. Data regarding countries/regions, institutions, journals, authors, and document types were collected. Bibliometric analysis and network visualization were performed using CiteSpace, HisCite, VOSviewer, Alluvial Generator, and R software.
Results:
China, the United States, and India were the leading contributing countries. Of the 98 relevant categories, 94 experienced citation bursts between 2000 and 2024. The research team led by Professor Pourmadadi Mehrab demonstrated substantial influence in this field. The International Journal of Biological Macromolecules was the most prolific journal. The top three emergent categories originated in 2020 or later, are "Chemistry, Applied", "Engineering, Environmental", and "Biochemistry & Molecular Biology". "Designing hydrogels for controlled drug delivery" was the most highly cited article. Recent emergent keywords included immunotherapy, immunogenic cell death, carboxymethyl cellulose, and antibacterial. Key concept alluvial flow visualization revealed six terms: peritoneal carcinomatosis, iron oxide nanoparticles, drug delivery, release kinetics, carbon dots, and pathway. Nano-composite hydrogels, immunotherapy, quercetin, pancreatic cancer, and oral cancer exhibited recent activity within the cited article timeline, suggesting these areas as potential future research hotspots.
Conclusion:
This bibliometric analysis identifies future research directions within the developing field of hydrogels for drug delivery in cancer. This study provides recommendations and directions for the development of hydrogels as tumor drug delivery systems.
Insights
This study analyzes hydrogel drug delivery for cancer, identifying leading countries and emerging research areas like immunotherapy. It highlights nano-composite hydrogels and specific cancers as future research hotspots for improved tumor treatment.
Area of Science:
- Biomedical Engineering
- Materials Science
- Drug Delivery Systems
Background:
- Conventional cancer treatments like chemotherapy and radiotherapy lack precise drug delivery.
- Hydrogels offer adaptable drug delivery systems tailored to tumor characteristics.
- Hydrogels are a significant research focus for advanced tumor treatment strategies.
Purpose of the Study:
- To conduct a bibliometric analysis of hydrogels for drug delivery in cancer.
- To reveal current progress and future prospects in this research field.
- To provide recommendations for developing hydrogels as tumor drug delivery systems.
Main Methods:
- Bibliometric analysis of publications from the Web of Science Core Collection.
- Data collection on countries, institutions, journals, authors, and document types.
- Network visualization using CiteSpace, HisCite, VOSviewer, and R software.
Main Results:
- China, the US, and India are leading contributors; International Journal of Biological Macromolecules is the most prolific journal.
- Emerging research areas include "Chemistry, Applied", "Engineering, Environmental", and "Biochemistry & Molecular Biology" since 2020.
- Key emergent keywords and concepts include immunotherapy, nano-composite hydrogels, and specific cancers like pancreatic and oral cancer.
Conclusions:
- The bibliometric analysis identifies key trends and future research directions.
- Hydrogels show significant potential for targeted cancer drug delivery.
- This study guides the development of advanced hydrogel-based tumor treatment systems.
