Chinese Journal of Tissue Engineering Research ›› 2012, Vol. 16 ›› Issue (6): 1085-1094.doi: 10.3969/j.issn.1673-8225.2012.06.030

Previous Articles     Next Articles

Research progress in tumor stem cells: literature retrieval results based on international database 

Nan Jin-niang, Hu Xu-guang, Li Hong-xiu   

  1. Second People’s Hospital of Panjin, Panjin  124000, Liaoning Province, China
  • Received:2011-12-02 Revised:2012-01-10 Online:2012-02-05 Published:2012-02-05
  • Contact: Li Hong-xiu, M.D., Chief physician, Master’s supervisor, Second People’s Hospital of Panjin, Panjin 124000, Liaoning Province, China lihongxiu666@ sina.com
  • About author:Nan Jin-niang★, Master, physician, Second People’s Hospital of Panjin, Panjin 124000, Liaoning Province, China njn0433@hotmail.com

Abstract:

BACKGROUND: Tumor stem cells are cancer cells that possess characteristics associated with normal stem cells, found in a particular cancer sample. Tumor stem cells may generate tumors through the stem cell processes of self-renewal and differentiation into multiple cell types. Such cells are proposed to persist in tumors as a distinct population and cause relapse and metastasis by giving rise to new tumors.
OBJECTIVE: To identify the global research trends of tumor stem cells via a bibliometric analysis of Web of Science (WOS), National Institutes of Health (NIH) and Clinical Trials registry database (ClinicalTrials.gov).
DESIGN: A bibliometric study.
DATA RETRIEVAL: We performed a bibliometric analysis for data retrievals regarding in tumor stem cells from 2002 to 2011 via WOS, NIH and ClinicalTrials.gov. The data were downloaded on December 18, 2011. 
SELECTION CRITERIA: Inclusive criteria: ①Peer-reviewed articles in tumor stem cells which were published and indexed in WOS, including articles of original research articles, reviews, meeting abstracts and proceeding paper. ②Funding for tumor stem cells, and ③clinical trials on tumor stem cells were included. Exclusive criteria: ①Articles need to be manually searched or accessed only through telephone; ②unpublished articles; ③Correction paper.
MAIN OUTCOME MEASUREMENTS: ①Total article outputs; ②type of articles; ③distribution of output in subject categories; ④publication distribution of countries; ⑤funding; ⑥publication distribution of institutions; ⑦top cited paper; ⑧distribution of publications ⑨active projects financially supported by NIH; ⑩clinical trials registered.
RESULTS: ①During 2002 to 2011, 3 642 papers studying tumor stem cells were indexed in WOS. There were only 10 articles published in 2002, whereas the number of publications doubled since 2007. 927 articles in tumor stem cells were published and covered in 2011. Original research was the most frequently document type of published papers, which 2 033 original research paper were indexed and published in the past 10 years. ②The result showed that nearly half the literature in the field were published by Americans institutes/universities. China was ranked No. 2 in terms of number of literature published. Most of the published articles were funded by NIH, national natural science foundation of China, and National Cancer Institution. It is interested that most cited articles were mostly published in Nature, Cancer Research, Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America and Cell Stem Cell. ③Over USD$0.15billion were funded to 365 active projects in 2012 by NIH. ④There were 2 958 clinical studies regarding tumor stem cells registered in ClinicalTrials.gov.
CONCLUSION: From the analysis of literature and research trends, we found that the development of specific therapies targeted at tumor stem cells holds hope for improvement of survival and quality of life of cancer patients.

CLC Number: