Recent developments in photothermal therapy: a bibliometric and visual analysis

Photothermal therapy (PTT) has recently garnered significant attention as a prominent noninvasive treatment modality for a broad spectrum of diseases. Despite the increasing volume of scholarly output over the last 20 years, a holistic synthesis that delineates worldwide research trajectories remains elusive. We undertook a bibliometric analysis of the literature from 2004 to 2023, aiming to delineate the prevailing focal points and illuminate prospective research avenues. Research articles on PTT were retrieved from the Web of Science Core Collection. Using tools such as CiteSpace, VOSviewer, and Bibliometrix, we comprehensively analyzed and visualized 11,184 published academic PTT papers. China has the highest number of publications. Journals related to PTT are primarily comprised of interdisciplinary and comprehensive journals. Research associated with PTT has focused primarily on its antitumor properties. Current focal areas in this domain include the synergistic combination of PTT with photodynamic therapy, immunological mechanisms of PTT to enhance its therapeutic efficacy, integrated use of PTT with nanoenzyme catalysis, and the role of PTT in antimicrobial applications. This bibliometric analysis provides an initial comprehensive examination of the medical applications of PTT, offering insights into the global research landscape, key areas of interest, and emerging trends, thereby serving as a valuable reference for future studies in this field.