Over half of MDS and 5–10% of AML patients have underlying mutation of one of the splicing factors, such as SF3B1, SRSF2, U2AF, ZRSR2, LUC7L2, PRPF8 or SF3B1 [12, 13], although it is not uncommon in other tumour types either. The gene discussed is SF3B1; the disease is neoplasm.