In order to better understand tumour cell characteristics in primary colon cancers associated with tumour cell dissemination, and disease recurrence, the aim of this study was to characterize colon tumours, stratified by tumour stage and presence or development of metastatic disease, with regard to KRAS, BRAF, and PIK3CA mutations, MSI, and average DNA copy number. The gene discussed is PIK3CA; the disease is colonic neoplasm.