ArticleTranslational cancer research2026
Translational progress and bottlenecks in neurotransmitter-cancer research [2000-2025]: an integrated bibliometric and interventional trial analysis.
Article in Translational cancer research, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.
What it found
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The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
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Who cites it
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Corrections and comments
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Authors and funding
6 authors.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
Background: Neurotransmitter signaling influences cancer initiation, progression, and therapy response. We systematically characterized the field's intellectual structure, thematic evolution, and translational trajectory. Methods: We analyzed 2,823 Web of Science articles [2000-2025] with CiteSpace and Bibliometrix, and reviewed 76 interventional trials from ClinicalTrials.gov to assess translational activity, drug-class distribution, and trial design trends. Results: Annual output nearly tripled, with >50% of papers published after 2020. The US led productivity (26.2%) and impact; China showed rapid output growth (18.1%). Oncology trials with tumor efficacy endpoints were dominated by β-adrenergic antagonists (33%), histone deacetylase (HDAC) inhibitors (16%), selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) (22%), and dopamine modulators (13%). Since 2018, immunotherapy combinations increased (8 trials). Trials were skewed toward early-phase, and trial design heterogeneity and limited biomarker integration were common. Translational linkage was limited: only 4.5% of publications connected to identifiable trials. The neurotransmitter-immune axis emerged as a central translational theme. Conclusions: Neurotransmitter-cancer research has expanded rapidly but shows substantial translational attrition. Findings support continued evaluation of β-blockers in late-phase trials, prioritized testing of SSRI-immunotherapy combinations, and exploration of underrepresented GABAergic and cholinergic pathways. We recommend harmonized preclinical-to-clinical pipelines and accelerated biomarker development to improve translation. This evidence-based map can guide targeted translational strategies in neurotransmitter-directed oncology and precision oncology.
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What Socratic holds
Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the Socratic graph.