So far, CRC cell lines have contributed to descriptions of 2 patterns of genetic instability, affecting either microsatellite sequences or chromosome number and structure. Often, these patterns are mutually exclusive; while near-diploid karyotypes usually appear with MSI and chromosomal stability, near-triploid or tetraploid cells display a high degree of CIN and are stable at the microsatellite level. In the present study, we describe the genomic instability pattern of KM12 CRC cells. KM12C and derived cell lines with different metastatic properties were analyzed by conventional cytogenetics, CGH and M-FISH. Results were compared to 5 cell lines usually used as model of MSI and CIN. Concordance between our results and previously published SKY data are also reviewed. Interestingly, the poorly metastatic KM12C cell line displayed a near-diploid karyotype with high levels of structural chromosome instability and microsatellite instability. Most carcinomas show highly complex karyotypes, suggesting that one of the tumor-development events may be related to genomic instability. 1,2 Up to now, MSI has been the only type of genomic instability well characterized in a minority of tumors (about 15% of sporadic CRCs). These tumors show a deficiency in mismatch repair genes with a replication error phenotype and a stable near-diploid karyotype. 3-7 chromosome instability has been described in some CRC cell lines, resulting in numerical changes 8 (CIN) or structural rearrangements. 9 Often, these patterns are mutually exclusive; while near-diploid karyotypes usually appear with MSI and chromosome instability, near-triploid or tetraploid cells display a high degree of CIN and are stable at the microsatellite level.It has been postulated that primary alterations in solid tumors consist of submicroscopic mutations, whereas unbalanced chromosomal rearrangements, whether numerical or structural, are secondary events and most likely associated with selective pressures during tumor progression. 10 A previous report demonstrated clonal chromosomal aberrations in 87% of CRC tumors analyzed. 11 The most frequent numerical changes were, in order of decreasing frequency, ϩ7, -18, -14, ϩ13. Gain of chromosome 8q and loss of 8p, loss of 17p and gain of 17q as well as loss of the entire chromosome 22 are also unbalanced rearrangements that have been reported. 11 Based on cytogenetic alterations, Dutrillaux 12 proposed 3 different evolutionary pathways: monosomic-type tumors undergo structural rearrangements resulting in gains and losses of different chromosome arms and show a relatively high rate of endoreduplication, leading to the formation of hypotetraploid clones that evolve to near-triploid cells; trisomic cells are characterized by tumors with a progressive increase in chromosome number but accompanied by a scarce number of rearrangements; tumors that display a near-normal karyotype and MSI were grouped into the normal type. Unbalanced chromosomal abnormalities would be secondary events and most likely associated with selective pre...