Antitumor Efficacy of Pterostilbene in Preclinical Cancer Models: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Tumor Growth Inhibition

Background: Pterostilbene has demonstrated potential antineoplastic properties across various preclinical studies, but a comprehensive quantitative synthesis evaluating its overall antitumor efficacy in animal models is lacking. Objective: To systematically review and meta-analyze the in vivo antitumor efficacy of pterostilbene monotherapy compared to vehicle or untreated control in preclinical cancer models, focusing primarily on tumor growth inhibition (tumor volume and weight). Methods: Controlled in vivo animal studies (xenograft, syngeneic, induced, or PDX models) evaluating pterostilbene as a monotherapy for any cancer type are included. Searches are conducted across PubMed/MEDLINE, Scopus, Web of Science, Embase, and Google Scholar from inception without date or language restrictions. Primary outcomes include tumor volume, tumor weight, and percentage of tumor growth inhibition (%TGI). Secondary narrative outcomes include apoptotic markers, survival, Ki-67, and metastasis counts. Study screening, data extraction, and quality/risk of bias assessment are conducted in accordance with PRISMA guidelines using two independent reviewers.