CNVs have been found in many cancers including colon cancer and are thought to contribute to cancer development by altering gene dosage of oncogenes and tumor suppressors. Studies have shown that CNVs present in cancer cells are often absent in normal cells from the same patient. While the role of CNVs in cancer risk is still being explored, certain CNVs are associated with hereditary cancer syndromes that increase risk of colon cancer. Further research on cancer CNVs may lead to new biomarkers for cancer susceptibility, progression, and metastasis.