Neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NACT) refers to a comprehensive treatment plan for patients with potentially resectable tumors by performing systemic chemotherapy before tumor resection or radiotherapy, and then continuing to complete the whole course of chemotherapy after surgery or radiotherapy, with the aim of eliminating micrometastases, tumor downstaging and reducing surgical difficulty. Colon cancer is one of the most common cancers, and radical tumor resection combined with postoperative adjuvant chemotherapy is the main treatment for potentially curable colon cancer. Although this treatment mode has significantly improved the prognosis of patients, postoperative local recurrence and distant metastasis are still the main causes of death. In recent years, NACT has been introduced as a treatment option for potentially curable colon cancer patients such as those with locally advanced colon cancer or with liver metastases and resectable primary tumor. However, there is still a significant controversy regarding whether colon cancer patients are suitable for NACT and the choice of NACT regimens. Here, the authors address the progress and controversies of NACT in locally advanced colon cancer and resectable colon cancer liver metastasis, as well as the role of imaging examinations in NACT.