At the German Cancer Congress 2016, held in Berlin, Germany, from 24 to 27 February 2016, Rüdiger Hehlmann, MD, from Heidelberg University, Heidelberg, Germany, examines the recent progress in the treatment of chronic myeloid leukemia (CML), acute myeloid leukemia (AML), acute lymphocytic leukemia (ALL), chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) and myelodyplastic syndrome (MDS).