Mapping the immune microenvironment of non-small cell lung cancer

Immunotherapy is widely used in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) treatment due to its significant efficacy. However, heterogeneity in treatment efficacy persists as a major challenge. The tumor immune microenvironment (TIME) crucially regulates NSCLC progression and prognosis. This article aims to comprehensively analyze the global research landscape and emerging trends in NSCLC-TIME investigations.

The authors utilized the Web of Science, Scopus and PubMed to identify publications on TIME in NSCLC between 2014 and 2024. Bibliometric analyses of country, institutional, author, journal, and references were conducted using Citespace, VOSviewer, the Charticulator website, and the Bibliometrix R package.

This study encompassed 1782 articles. Annual publications demonstrated sustained growth over the past decade, with accelerated growth after 2020. China dominated global output, with Nantong University as the most active institution. Core scholars included Jie He (most productive author) and Rebecca L Siegel (most co-cited author). Frontiers in Oncology (most productive journal) and Nature (most cited journal) were the most influential journals. Keyword analysis identified primary research hotspots, including NSCLC progression, prognosis, immunotherapy, resistance mechanisms, and combination therapy strategies.

This study systematically summarizes the research progress of NSCLC-TIME from 2014 to 2024 and outlines the global research evolving trends. It provides a comprehensive review of the roles and mechanisms of various immune cell subsets, tumor-associated tertiary lymphoid structures, and other immune tissues in NSCLC metastasis, recurrence, survival prognosis, and immunotherapy resistance. Additionally, the study analyzes current immunotherapy combination strategies and perioperative immunotherapy choices, discussing the existing challenges and potential future research directions.