Performance of the Asia–Pacific Colorectal Screening score in stratifying the risk of advanced colorectal neoplasia: A meta‐analysis and systematic review

Abstract Background and Aim This study systematically reviewed and meta‐analyzed the performance of the Asia–Pacific Colorectal Screening (APCS) score and its incorporation with the fecal immunochemical test (FIT) in stratifying the risk of advanced colorectal neoplasia (ACN). Methods We systematically searched for relevant articles in 12 electronic databases and registers on October 20, 2021, and updated the search to September 1, 2023. Random‐effect models were used to obtain the pooled performance statistics of the APCS score for ACN risk. Results From the 101 records screened, 13 eligible studies in the Asia–Pacific region involving 69 762 subjects who had undergone colonoscopy were enrolled. The pooled prevalences of ACN in the average‐risk (AR) tier (APCS 0–1), moderate‐risk (MR) tier (APCS 2–3), and high‐risk (HR) tier (APCS ≥ 4) groups were 0.9%, 3.1%, and 8.1%, respectively. Compared with the combined AR–MR group, the HR group was significantly associated with a higher ACN risk (pooled diagnostic odds ratio: 2.84, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 2.35–3.45, P < 0.001). The APCS score showed a sensitivity of 0.42 (95% CI: 0.40–0.44) and a specificity of 0.86 (95% CI: 0.85–0.86) for predicting the ACN risk, with a weighted area under the curve of 0.642 (95% CI: 0.610–0.657). The combination of the APCS score and FIT substantially improved ACN risk identification, demonstrating pooled diagnostic odds ratios of 4.02 (95% CI: 2.50–6.49) in the AR–MR groups and 5.44 (95% CI: 1.89–15.63) in the MR–HR groups. Conclusions The APCS score could effectively stratify the ACN risk in the Asia–Pacific population. Incorporating FIT further improves its performance in identifying high‐risk subjects who should be prioritized for colonoscopy screenings.