A Bibliometric Analysis and Visualization of Tertiary Lymphoid Structures in Oncology: Identifying Research Frontiers

Background: Tertiary lymphoid structures (TLS) are ectopic, non-encapsulated lymphoid tissues that develop at sites of chronic inflammation. In recent years, the critical roles of TLS in tumorigenesis, cancer progression, and therapeutic response have garnered increasing attention, establishing them as a prominent research focus in the field of tumor immunology. Objective: This study aims to systematically map the research landscape of this field using bibliometric methods, elucidate its knowledge architecture, evolutionary trajectory, and collaboration networks, and thereby provide a macroscopic perspective and evidence-based references for future investigations. Methods: Relevant literature concerning TLS in oncology published between 2012 and 2025 was retrieved from the Web of Science Core Collection (WoSCC). Bibliometric analyses were performed using the bibliometrix package in R, along with Scimago Graphica, VOSviewer, and CiteSpace. Additionally, a complementary PubMed analysis was conducted to validate the robustness of the identified themes and to assess clinically oriented research. Results: A total of 3,101 publications pertaining to TLS in oncology were ultimately included. This field exhibited an average annual growth rate of 13.37%, accruing an average of 49.44 citations per paper. The annual publication output surged from 97 in 2012 to 496 in 2025, demonstrating a rapid expansion. China and the United States emerged as the two leading contributing countries, with Sun Yat-sen University, Fudan University, and The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center ranking as the top three productive institutions. The author collaboration network revealed a cohesive scholarly cluster centered around Sautes-Fridman C, while the United States occupied a pivotal hub position in international collaborations. Research hotspots are predominantly concentrated on the role of TLS within the tumor immune microenvironment (TIME)and their synergy with immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs). The recent emergence of burst keywords-including “spatial transcriptomics”,“single-cell RNA sequencing”,“machine learning”and “immune checkpoint inhibitors”-signals a technology-driven frontier. Topic evolution analysis further indicates that the field is undergoing a transformative shift from foundational mechanistic explorations toward precision immunotherapy, with TLS serving as a central hub. Conclusion: Research on TLS in oncology is currently navigating a pivotal transitional phase, evolving from mere knowledge accumulation toward systematic integration and clinical translation. TLS has been firmly established as a central hub linking the tumor microenvironment to immunotherapy, with its clinical utility in predicting therapeutic response and improving patient prognosis gaining increasing prominence. This study offers valuable trajectories and novel perspectives to guide future investigations in this burgeoning field.