## 1 Introduction  
Colorectal cancer (CRC) classifies as the third highest prevalent cancer and the number two primary factor related to fatality, accounting for a significant burden on public health systems [1]. In Indonesia, CRC is one of the three most prevalent cancers in terms of mortality rates. CRC incidence rate in Indonesia is detected in second highest place among men and the fourth highest among both men and women. The incidence rate of CRC is 12.8 per 100,000 adults with 9.5% of all cancer mortality [2]. Studies between 2008 and 2012 reported that men (54%) have a higher prevalence than women (46%). In addition, CRC in Indonesia has been diagnosed at younger ages, suggesting a change in the distribution of age among patients [3]. Therefore, greater use of routine screening coupled with preventative measures to reduce the burden of disease is of paramount importance. Prior detection is critical to developing prognosis and survival rates, as the disease often progresses silently until advanced stages. While effective, traditional screening methods, including colonoscopy and fecal occult blood tests (FOBT), suffer from limitations including invasiveness, patient discomfort, and suboptimal sensitivity and specificity [4]. Colonoscopy remains the primary method of detection of CRC, but it is highly invasive, requires the preparation of the bowel and frequently involves discomfort or complications such as perforation or bleeding [5]. Additionally, FOBT has also less than optimal sensitivity and specificity. These methods often lead to false negatives, especially for non-bleeding or early-stage lesions [6]. Consequently, there is a pressing need for non-invasive, accurate, and reliable diagnostic tools for early CRC detection. The latest molecular biology developments highlighted microRNA (miRNA) potential as a promising biomarker for cancer diagnosis. miRNAs are tiny, non-coding RNA particles that are essential to control gene activity and are implicated in various pathophysiological processes, including oncogenesis. The stability of miRNAs in bodily fluids, coupled with their distinct expression patterns in cancerous versus normal tissues, positions them as ideal candidates for non-invasive cancer diagnostics [7]. Certain miRNAs are expressed differently in CRC than in healthy tissues. Oncogenic miRNAs are overexpressed miRNAs that repress tumor suppressor genes to promote the growth of tumors [8]. Tumor suppressor miRNAs are among those that are downregulated, which causes oncogenes to express uncontrollably. Because of these unique expression patterns, miRNA may be used as a marker for malignant alterations [9]. A number of studies analyzed the diagnostic miRNA value signatures for CRC detection, with varying degrees of success. These studies have identified specific miRNAs that show different expressions in CRC patients as opposed to healthy controls, suggesting the potential as early diagnostic markers. However, the heterogeneity in study designs, patient populations, and miRNA profiling techniques poses challenges in drawing definitive conclusions about their clinical utility [10; 11; 12]. When miRNAs are attached to proteins, they prevent them from degrading, or they are extremely stable in the bloodstream when they are contained in exosomes. Because of their stability, miRNAs can be found in non-invasive samples like blood, feces, or urine. Certain miRNAs that are present in these fluids may indicate the occurrence and development of colorectal cancer. This stability, combined with their differential expression in CRC, suggests that miRNA fingerprints could facilitate early diagnosis by distinguishing cancer patients from healthy individuals, even in the disease's initial stages [13]. The following systematic analysis and meta-analysis intend to consolidate existing evidence on the diagnostic performance of miRNA signatures for early and non-invasive CRC detection.