Development trends and knowledge framework of artificial intelligence (AI) applications in oncology by years: a bibliometric analysis from 1992 to 2022

Abstract

Purpose Oncology is the primary field in medicine with a high rate of artificial intelligence (AI) use. Thus, this study aimed to investigate the trends of AI in oncology, evaluating the bibliographic characteristics of articles. We evaluated the related research on the knowledge framework of Artificial Intelligence (AI) applications in Oncology through bibliometrics analysis and explored the research hotspots and current status from 1992 to 2022. Methods The research employed a scientometric methodology and leveraged scientific visualization tools such as Bibliometrix R Package Software, VOSviewer, and Litmaps for comprehensive data analysis. Scientific AI-related publications in oncology were retrieved from the Web of Science (WoS) and InCites from 1992 to 2022. Results A total of 7,815 articles authored by 35,098 authors and published in 1,492 journals were included in the final analysis. The most prolific authors were Esteva A (citaition = 5,821) and Gillies RJ (citaition = 4288). The most active institutions were the Chinese Academy of Science and Harward University. The leading journals were Frontiers ın Oncology and Scientific Reports. The most Frequent Author Keywords are "machine learning", "deep learning," "radiomics", "breast cancer", “melanoma” and "artificial intelligence," which are the research hotspots in this field. A total of 10,866 Authors' keywords were investigated. The average number of citations per document is 23. After 2015, the number of publications proliferated. Conclusion The investigation of Artificial Intelligence (AI) applications in the field of Oncology is still in its early phases especially for genomics, proteomics, and clinicomics, with extensive studies focused on biology, diagnosis, treatment, and cancer risk assessment. This bibliometric analysis offered valuable perspectives into AI's role in Oncology research, shedding light on emerging research paths. Notably, a significant portion of these publications originated from developed nations. These findings could prove beneficial for both researchers and policymakers seeking to navigate this field.