Global research trends and prospects related to telomerase within breast cancer: a bibliometric and visual analysis

Telomerase plays a crucial role in the early diagnosis, prognosis, and treatment of breast cancer. However, no comprehensive bibliometric analysis has been conducted to explore its research trends. This study aims to fill this gap by analyzing publications related to telomerase in breast cancer, using the Web of Science Core Collection (WoSCC) database from 1999 to 2024.

A retrospective bibliometric analysis was conducted on publications related to breast cancer telomerase, retrieved from the WoSCC database on July 20, 2024. The analysis focused on publication counts, citations, country/institution affiliation, journal, author, references, and keywords, using CiteSpace, VOSviewer, and R's bibliometric package. Key metrics included publication volume, citations, and total link strength of countries and institutions.

A total of 1,613 publications from 611 journals, involving 8,573 authors from 1,876 institutions across 67 countries, were analyzed. The U.S. and China had the highest output, with the U.S. also leading in citations and link strength. Cancer Research published the most articles. Dr. SHAY JW was identified as a leading scholar. The 15 most-cited references focused on telomerase's role in tumorigenesis, regulation, and therapeutic potential. Keyword analysis identified five key hotspots: telomerase activity, regulatory mechanisms, role in breast cancer cells, drug regulation, and its use as a tumor marker.

This study provides a systematic overview of research trends in breast cancer telomerase, offering valuable insights for future research and clinical applications.