Before treatment we found mutations in genes that are recurrently mutated in CLL, (ATM, BIRC3, CHD2, DDX3X, IRF4, ITPKB, KLHL6, MYD88, NOTCH1, NFKBIE, SF3B1, SPEN, TP53 and ZMYM3) in nine patients (69%) with a mean of one mutation per case (min–max: 0–4). The gene discussed is BIRC3; the disease is B-cell chronic lymphocytic leukemia.