BackgroundPopulation-based esophageal cancer (EC) screening trials and programs have been conducted in China for decades; however, screening strategies have been adopted in different regions and screening profiles are unclear.ObjectiveWe performed a meta-analysis to profile EC screening in China by positivity rate, compliance rate, and endoscopy findings, aiming to provide explicit evidence and recommendations for EC screening programs.MethodsEnglish (PubMed, Embase) and Chinese (China National Knowledge Infrastructure, Wanfang) language databases were systematically searched for population-based EC screening studies in the Chinese population until December 31, 2022. A meta-analysis was performed by standard methodology using a random-effects model. Pooled prevalence rates were calculated for three groups: high-risk areas with a universal endoscopy strategy, rural China with a risk-stratified endoscopic screening (RSES) strategy, and urban China with an RSES strategy. Positive cases included lesions of severe dysplasia, carcinoma in situ, intramucosal carcinoma, submucosal carcinoma, and invasive carcinoma.ResultsThe pooled positivity rate of the high-risk population was higher in rural China (44.12%) than in urban China (23.11%). The compliance rate of endoscopic examinations was the highest in rural China (52.40%), followed by high-risk areas (50.11%), and was the lowest in urban China (23.67%). The pooled detection rate of positive cases decreased from 1.03% (95% CI 0.82%-1.30%) in high-risk areas to 0.48% (95% CI 0.25%-0.93%) in rural China and 0.12% (95% CI 0.07%-0.21%) in urban China. The pooled detection rate of low-grade intraepithelial neoplasia (LGIN) was also in the same order, being the highest in high-risk areas (3.99%, 95% CI 2.78%-5.69%), followed by rural China (2.55%, 95% CI 1.03%-6.19%) and urban China (0.34%, 95% CI 0.14%-0.81%). Higher detection rates of positive cases and LGIN were observed among males than among females and at older ages. The pooled early detection rate was 81.90% (95% CI 75.58%-86.88%), which was similar to the rates in high-risk areas (82.09%), in rural China (80.76%), and in urban China (80.08%).ConclusionsUnder the current screening framework, a higher screening benefit was observed in high-risk areas than in other regions. To promote EC screening and reduce the current inequality of screening in China, more focus should be given to optimizing strategies of high-risk individual assessment and surveillance management to improve compliance with endoscopic examination.Trial RegistrationPROSPERO CRD42022375720; https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/prospero/display_record.php?RecordID=375720