Bibliometric Analysis Maps a Decade of MDSC Research in the Tumor Microenvironment

A new bibliometric analysis has mapped a decade of global research on myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSCs), the immunosuppressive immune cells that accumulate within the tumor microenvironment and help tumors progress and resist immunotherapy. The study, published in Discover Oncology, systematically summarized research output from 2015 to 2025, a period in which no comprehensive bibliometric overview of the field had previously been assembled.

The researchers drew publications on MDSCs within the tumor microenvironment from two major databases, the Web of Science Core Collection and Scopus, and analyzed them with the bibliometric tools VOSviewer, CiteSpace, and bibliometrix. Their searches captured annual publication trends, leading countries, institutions, and authors, core journals, co-cited references, thematic evolution, and emerging research frontiers. The analysis is a bibliometric study of the published literature and does not itself report clinical trial results.

In total, 5,967 publications were included. Annual output rose nonlinearly over the decade, peaked in 2022, and then stabilized with mild fluctuations. The field’s growth reflects sustained research interest in MDSCs, which are described in the study as pivotal immunosuppressive cells within the tumor microenvironment that promote tumor progression and mediate resistance to immunotherapy.

China and the United States emerged as the dominant contributors to the literature, but the analysis found that the United States displayed superior citation impact and stronger international collaboration. At the institutional level, Fudan University, Sun Yat-sen University, and the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center were identified as the most productive and influential institutions in the field.

Individual researchers also shaped the field’s direction. The analysis identified Gabrilovich DI, Bronte V, and Veglia F as constituting the intellectual backbone of MDSC research, with their landmark reviews displaying the strongest citation bursts. Among journals, Frontiers in Immunology published the most articles, while Cancer Research was the most highly co-cited journal.

Thematic mapping revealed three central themes anchoring the field: the tumor microenvironment, immunotherapy, and MDSCs themselves. The authors also documented a paradigm shift in research focus, from simplified MDSC classification toward single-cell sequencing, multi-omics approaches, subset heterogeneity, immune infiltration, and immune evasion. This shift suggests the field is moving toward finer-grained molecular characterization of these suppressive cells.

The study’s conclusions emphasize that MDSCs are central regulators of the immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment and key drivers of immunotherapy resistance. However, the authors note that clinical translation of MDSC-targeted therapies remains limited by tumor heterogeneity, the complexity of the tumor microenvironment, and suboptimal combination strategies. These are the study authors’ assessments of the field’s translational barriers rather than findings from a clinical trial.

Looking forward, the authors recommend that future research emphasize standardized MDSC identification, context-dependent regulatory mechanisms, and rational combinatorial therapeutic designs. Such work, they argue, is needed to bridge the translational gap and facilitate the clinical implementation of MDSC-targeted cancer immunotherapy. As a bibliometric study, the analysis characterizes the shape and direction of the research literature rather than testing therapies directly, and its conclusions about future priorities reflect the authors’ synthesis of the mapped literature.

Subject of Research: Bibliometric analysis of myeloid-derived suppressor cell research in the tumor microenvironment from 2015 to 2025

Article Title: A bibliometric and visual analysis of myeloid-derived suppressor cell research in the tumor microenvironment (2015–2025)

Article References: Lv, X., Li, J., Cheng, M., Sun, Q., Chen, H., Jiang, M., Wang, B., Chen, C., & Duan, H. (2026). A bibliometric and visual analysis of myeloid-derived suppressor cell research in the tumor microenvironment (2015–2025). Discover Oncology. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12672-026-06173-9

Image Credits: AI Generated

DOI: 10.1007/s12672-026-06173-9

Keywords: MDSCs, tumor microenvironment, bibliometrics, immunotherapy resistance, Web of Science, Scopus, VOSviewer, CiteSpace, single-cell sequencing, immune evasion, cancer immunotherapy, research trends