Background Programmed cell death protein 1 (PD-1) or Programmed death-ligand 1 (PD-L1) inhibitors have already reformed cancer treatment by inhibiting tumor immune escape. However, as drug resistance emerges, their clinical application is limited. Numerous studies have explored mechanisms and methods to address resistance, yet an explicit bibliometric analysis of this field remains lacking. Methods We systematically retrieved documents from the Web of Science Core Collection database and Scopus database. The timeline spans from January 1, 2006, to November 29, 2025. A comprehensive analysis was conducted using bibliometric tools. In addition, a secondary screening of the included studies was conducted to classify and analyze them based on their experimental models. Results The bibliometric analysis of 2,122 studies shows a significant increase in research on resistance to PD-1/PD-L1 inhibitors from 2006 to 2025. China leads in publication volume, while the United States ranks second but has more international collaboration. Institutions such as Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center are at the forefront of this research. The Journal of Clinical Oncology and Stephen L. Topalian were the most influential journal and author in this field, respectively. Keywords and reference analysis identify prospective hotspots, including “tumor microenvironment”, “combination strategy”, and “biomarker”. Research on resistance to PD-1/PD-L1 inhibitors is primarily based on observational cohort studies. Conclusion This study examines the academic background and hotspots in PD-1/PD-L1 resistance. In the future, the tumor microenvironment will be explored to uncover novel mechanisms of resistance and to identify predictive biomarkers for patient stratification, while combination therapy strategies will be applied to overcome therapeutic resistance. More randomized controlled trials (RCTs) and research on patient-derived organoid systems are needed to accelerate clinical translation. By illuminating future trends, this study will serve as a crucial reference for scholars seeking to advance the field.
Miao et al. (Thu,) studied this question.