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Article History

Received: 21 September 2018

Accepted: 19 December 2018

First Online: 8 January 2019

Ethics approval and consent to participate

: The protocol was approved by the Ethics committee of the Antwerp University Hospital and the University of Antwerp (Registration number B300201316922) and the study was reported to the Commission for the Protection of Privacy. Since data were provided unlinked anonymous and residual blood specimens were used, an informed consent was not applicable. A waiver of informed consent was approved by the Ethics committee.

: Not applicable.

: TV is a recipient of a 2014 mandate from the Belgian Foundation Against Cancer (mandate number: 2014–087) and previously received research funding from Gilead Sciences, Bristol-Myers-Squib and Roche Diagnostics. All other authors declared no competing interests.

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