Fecal Hemoglobin Levels in Prior Negative Screening and Detection of Colorectal Neoplasia: A Dose-Response Meta-Analysis.

Background And Aims: Prior studies have shown that individuals with fecal hemoglobin (f-Hb) concentrations just below the positivity cutoff have an increased colorectal cancer risk compared with those with no or low f-Hb. Understanding the dose-response association between f-Hb in a prior screening round and the detection of colorectal neoplasia is crucial for tailoring risk-based screening recommendations.

Methods: We searched the literature to identify studies reporting the association between f-Hb in prior screening round and colorectal neoplasia detection in an average-risk population.