Bibliometric Analysis of the Role of Bioactive Peptides in Cancer Therapy

Conventional cancer therapies cause severe side effects. Peptide-based therapy as a complementary option in cancer treatment reports promising results due to its multifunctionality, selectivity, and safety. The aim of this study was to describe the multiple roles peptides have acquired in cancer therapy, the engineering approaches utilized to enhance peptide efficacy, and to evaluate the status and trends of publications related to anticancer peptides. Information related to the roles of peptides in anticancer therapy and to the engineering strategies to improve their efficacy was curated. The digital libraries PubMed, ScienceDirect, and SpringrLink, were consulted for the bibliometric analysis. Anticancer peptides may act through multiple pathways to eliminate tumor cells. Engineering strategies have been successfully implemented to overcome the low bioavailability of peptides, allowing them to improve their efficacy. The bibliometric analysis allowed the visualization of the importance anticancer peptides have gained in cancer therapy in the past two decades.