However, despite ABL1 inhibition having significant activity against CLL in vitro affecting a range of cell behaviours [14,37,38], single agent inhibition of ABL1 by imatinib or dasatinib has not emerged as having major clinical activity in vivo[39] The present study however emphasises however, that the interaction between CLL cells and their tissue microenvironment is complex, and that ABL1 may form part of a coordinated behaviour pattern that together with other pathways promotes the migration and tissue interactions of the neoplastic cells. The gene discussed is ABL1; the disease is B-cell chronic lymphocytic leukemia.