Tumor-on-chip and cancer microphysiological platforms: knowledge structure, thematic evolution, and the emergence of...

Cancer microphysiological systems (MPS), including tumor-on-chip platforms, combine engineered microenvironments, controlled fluid transport, and tumor-relevant biological models for cancer modeling, drug testing, and translational research. Organoid-integrated chips represent one developing component within this broader field, but the publication growth, knowledge structure, and changing research priorities of cancer MPS and tumor-on-chip research have not been systematically mapped across major bibliographic databases.

We performed a dual-database bibliometric analysis of publications indexed in the Web of Science Core Collection and Scopus from 2010 to 2025. Bibliometric indicators were analyzed using Bibliometrix, VOSviewer, and CiteSpace. We examined publication growth, source distribution, author and country collaboration, highly cited and co-cited references, and temporal keyword evolution. In addition, a phase-split keyword analysis was conducted to compare the research emphasis during 2010-2020 and 2021-2025.

A total of 476 publications were included in the final cancer MPS/tumor-on-chip corpus. Research output increased markedly after 2020 and reached 101 articles in 2025. Source, co-citation, and keyword analyses suggested a progressive shift from early emphasis on microfluidic device construction and physical culture control toward greater attention to biofabrication, tumor microenvironment reconstruction, immune-related interactions, and drug-screening and other application-oriented themes. Phase-split keyword analysis showed that recent publications placed greater attention on biological applications and translational questions while retaining a clear connection with earlier engineering-oriented research. The United States and China emerged as the major research hubs, although with different collaboration profiles.

This study provides a dual-database bibliometric analysis of cancer microphysiological systems and tumor-on-chip research from 2010 to 2025. The field has expanded from microfluidic engineering and basic tumor reconstruction toward tumor microenvironment modeling, multicellular interactions, drug-related applications, and organoid integration. These trends indicate growing translational interest, although the biological performance and clinical utility of individual platforms require direct experimental evaluation.