Resveratrol and Urological Cancers: Taking Stock of the Current Evidence

Urological cancers, such as prostate cancer (PC), bladder cancer (BC), renal cell carcinoma (RCC), and testicular cancer (TC), are major causes of morbidity and mortality. Effective therapies depend on factors such as cancer type, stage, grade, the individual's overall health, and treatment priority. Currently, treatment options include surgery, radiation therapy, targeted therapy, chemotherapy, and immunotherapy, but these approaches often face challenges including treatment resistance, disease recurrence, cytotoxicity, and severe complications. Natural products have emerged as promising sources for new drug development, and resveratrol, a natural polyphenolic compound found in berries, nuts, red wine, and grapes, has garnered significant interest. Resveratrol exhibits a range of biological effects such as anti-inflammatory, antiviral, antioxidative, antiproliferative, and anti-angiogenic activities. Results of this study highlights evidence that resveratrol can inhibit tumor cell proliferation, induce apoptosis, and suppress metastasis in various urological cancers. Moreover, it modulates key molecular pathways implicated in cancer progression, including PI3K/Akt, NF-κB, and STAT3 signaling. These findings suggest that resveratrol holds potential as an adjunctive therapeutic agent for urological cancers, though further clinical studies are warranted to confirm its efficacy and optimize its clinical application. This literature review has been performed to discuss the possible anticancer effects and mechanisms of resveratrol in relation to urological cancers, with a focus on PC, BC, RCC, and TC.