Global Research Status of Tertiary Lymphoid Structures: A Bibliometric Analysis

Tertiary lymphoid structures are organized lymphocyte aggregates ectopically formed at sites of chronic inflammation or tumorigenesis and are closely associated with pathological processes including autoimmune diseases, organ transplantation, tumors, and aging. In recent years, academic output on tertiary lymphoid structures has grown rapidly, but a systematic global perspective remains limited. This study conducts a bibliometric analysis of tertiary lymphoid structure-related literature retrieved from the Web of Science Core Collection. Using VOSviewer, CiteSpace, Rbibliometrix, and quantitative visualization tools, the study systematically analyzes publication trends, national and institutional distribution, author and journal contributions, highly cited literature, citation bursts, and keyword evolution. A total of 2,496 publications are included, consisting of 1,827 articles and 669 reviews. Results show that immunology and oncology are the dominant disciplines, the United States leads in publication output, and France demonstrates strong citation influence through institutional and author collaboration networks. Citation and keyword evolution analyses indicate that immunotherapy has become the core direction of current and future research. The findings provide an objective basis for understanding scientific development dynamics and identifying emerging research strategies in this field.