Q (haiku): What are the most frequent EGFR mutation variants in lung adenocarcinoma and what percentage are known hotspot mutations? ▶ read_guide { "uri": "cbioportal://mutation-frequency-guide" } ▶ search_oncotree { "search_term": "lung adenocarcinoma" } ◀ result # Mutation Frequency Analysis Guide ## IMPORTANT: Reporting Mutation Frequencies - **ALWAYS report frequencies as percentages**, not raw counts: `frequency = (altered_samples / total_profiled_samples) × 100` - For quick frequency lookups, **prefer the TCGA Pan-Cancer Atlas study first**, then offer to expand to other studies - When reporting across multiple studies, show **ranges** (e.g., "TP53 is mutated in 30–60% of samples") rather than a single average - **NEVER** sum mutation events across studies to compute an aggregate frequency — this can exceed 100% due to double-counting - Warn users that samples may overlap across cohorts (e.g., MSK studies may share patients) - **Choose and state the counting unit**: use patient-level frequencies for prevalence/rate questions unless the user explicitly asks for samples; use sample-level frequencies when the user asks about samples. - **For "across cancer types" questions**, jump to the [Cross-Cancer-Type Mutation Frequency](#cross-cancer-type-mutation-frequency) section below — there is one correct recipe and several common wrong ones. ## Counting Unit: Samples vs Patients Before answering any mutation count or frequency question, decide whether the unit is samples or patients and state that choice in the answer. | User wording | Counting unit | |--------------|---------------| | "prevalence", "rate", "fraction of patients", "patients with", "how common is" | Patient-level: `COUNT(DISTINCT patient_unique_id)` | | "samples", "specimens", "biopsies", sample-level cohort composition | Sample-level: `COUNT(DISTINCT sample_unique_id)` | | Ambiguous | Ask, or default to patient-level for prevalence/rate language and say so | ### Cross-study sample-count caveat When an answer touches more than one study and reports a sample count, prepend a one-line caveat: > Sample IDs are unique within cBioPortal study prefixes, not guaranteed biological-sample identifiers across studies; overlapping cohorts can count the same patient/sample more than once. Prefer one of these safer approaches: - Use a shipped `cancer_study_query_preferences` cohort such as `pan_cancer_tcga` or `all_studies_non_redundant`. - Restrict to one named study. - Aggregate by `patient_unique_id` when the biological question is patient prevalence. ## STOP rule: a frequency above 100% means your query is wrong If your query returns a frequency over 100%, **do not try to debug or explain the data inconsistency to the user**. The cause is always one of these query bugs: - Summing mutation events instead of `COUNT(DISTINCT sample_unique_id)` for the numerator - Using a study-wide sample count as the denominator instead of the gene-specific profiled count - Cross-study aggregation where the same biological sample appears under multiple `sample_unique_id` values (e.g., MSK-IMPACT and MSK-CHORD share patients) - **Joining the profiled CTE through `gene_panel` / `gene_panel_list` without a WES branch.** `gene_panel_id = 'WES'` is *not* a row in … (35166 more chars) ◀ result {"result":[{"code":"LUAD","name":"Lung Adenocarcinoma","score":80,"mainType":"Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer","tissue":"Lung","hierarchy":"LUNG > NSCLC > LUAD"},{"code":"LAIS","name":"Lung Adenocarcinoma In Situ","score":60,"mainType":"Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer","tissue":"Lung","hierarchy":"LUNG > LAIS"}]} ▶ list_studies { "search": "lung adenocarcinoma EGFR", "limit": 5 } ◀ result {"result":[]} ▶ list_studies { "search": "LUAD", "limit": 10 } ◀ result {"result":[{"cancer_study_identifier":"luad_mskcc_2023_met_organotropism","name":"Lung Adenocarcinoma Met Organotropism (MSK, Cancer Cell 2023)","type_of_cancer_id":"luad","sample_count":2653,"has_guide":false,"url":"https://www.cbioportal.org/study/summary?id=luad_mskcc_2023_met_organotropism"},{"cancer_study_identifier":"lung_msk_2017","name":"Non-Small Cell Cancer (MSK, Cancer Discov 2017)","type_of_cancer_id":"luad","sample_count":915,"has_guide":false,"url":"https://www.cbioportal.org/study/summary?id=lung_msk_2017"},{"cancer_study_identifier":"luad_mskcc_2020","name":"Lung Adenocarcinoma (MSK, J Thorac Oncol 2020)","type_of_cancer_id":"luad","sample_count":604,"has_guide":false,"url":"https://www.cbioportal.org/study/summary?id=luad_mskcc_2020"},{"cancer_study_identifier":"luad_tcga","name":"Lung Adenocarcinoma (TCGA, Firehose Legacy)","type_of_cancer_id":"luad","sample_count":586,"has_guide":false,"url":"https://www.cbioportal.org/study/summary?id=luad_tcga"},{"cancer_study_identifier":"luad_tcga_gdc","name":"Lung Adenocarcinoma (TCGA GDC, 2025)","type_of_cancer_id":"luad","sample_count":571,"has_guide":false,"url":"https://www.cbioportal.org/study/summary?id=luad_tcga_gdc"},{"cancer_study_identifier":"luad_tcga_pan_can_atlas_2018","name":"Lung Adenocarcinoma (TCGA, PanCancer Atlas)","type_of_cancer_id":"luad","sample_count":566,"has_guide":true,"url":"https://www.cbioportal.org/study/summary?id=luad_tcga_pan_can_atlas_2018"},{"cancer_study_identifier":"luad_msk_npjpo_2021","name":"Lung Adenocarcinoma (MSK, NPJ Precision Oncology 2021)","type_of_cancer_id":"luad","sample_count":426,"has_guide":false,"url":"https://www.cbioportal.org/study/summary?id=luad_msk_npjpo_2021"},{"cancer_study_identifier":"luad_oncosg_2020","name":"Lung Adenocarcinoma (OncoSG, Nat Genet 2020)","type_of_cancer_id":"luad","sample_count":305,"has_guide":false,"url":"https://www.cbioportal.org/study/summary?id=luad_oncosg_2020"},{"cancer_study_identifier":"luad_cptac_gdc","name":"Lung Adenocarcinoma (CPTAC GDC, 2025)","type_of_cancer_id":"luad","sample_count":241,"has_guide":false,"url":"https://www.cbioportal.org/study/summary?id=luad_cptac_gdc"},{"cancer_study_identifier":"lung_nci_2022","name":"Lung Cancer in Never Smokers (NCI, Nature Genetics 2021)","type_of_cancer_id":"luad","sample_count":232,"has_guide":false,"url":"https://www.cbioportal.org/study/summary?id=lung_nci_2022"}]} ▶ clickhouse_run_select_query { "query": "SELECT * FROM gene_mutation_variants_in_study(study = 'luad_tcga_pan_can_atlas_2018', gene = 'EGFR')", "max_rows": 100 } ◀ result {"rows":[{"mutation_variant":"L858R","mutation_type":"Missense_Mutation","altered_samples":23,"profiled_samples":566,"frequency_pct":4.1,"total_mutation_events":23},{"mutation_variant":"E746_A750del","mutation_type":"In_Frame_Del","altered_samples":16,"profiled_samples":566,"frequency_pct":2.8,"total_mutation_events":16},{"mutation_variant":"E709_T710delinsD","mutation_type":"In_Frame_Del","altered_samples":3,"profiled_samples":566,"frequency_pct":0.5,"total_mutation_events":3},{"mutation_variant":"L861Q","mutation_type":"Missense_Mutation","altered_samples":3,"profiled_samples":566,"frequency_pct":0.5,"total_mutation_events":3},{"mutation_variant":"G719A","mutation_type":"Missense_Mutation","altered_samples":2,"profiled_samples":566,"frequency_pct":0.4,"total_mutation_events":2},{"mutation_variant":"L62R","mutation_type":"Missense_Mutation","altered_samples":2,"profiled_samples":566,"frequency_pct":0.4,"total_mutation_events":2},{"mutation_variant":"L747_A750delinsP","mutation_type":"In_Frame_Del","altered_samples":2,"profiled_samples":566,"frequency_pct":0.4,"total_mutation_events":2},{"mutation_variant":"L747_T751del","mutation_type":"In_Frame_Del","altered_samples":2,"profiled_samples":566,"frequency_pct":0.4,"total_mutation_events":2},{"mutation_variant":"S768I","mutation_type":"Missense_Mutation","altered_samples":2,"profiled_samples":566,"frequency_pct":0.4,"total_mutation_events":2},{"mutation_variant":"T790M","mutation_type":"Missense_Mutation","altered_samples":2,"profiled_samples":566,"frequency_pct":0.4,"total_mutation_events":2},{"mutation_variant":"A767_V769dup","mutation_type":"In_Frame_Ins","altered_samples":1,"profiled_samples":566,"frequency_pct":0.2,"total_mutation_events":1},{"mutation_variant":"D1083Efs*11","mutation_type":"Frame_Shift_Del","altered_samples":1,"profiled_samples":566,"frequency_pct":0.2,"total_mutation_events":1},{"mutation_variant":"D770_N771insGL","mutation_type":"In_Frame_Ins","altered_samples":1,"profiled_samples":566,"frequency_pct":0.2,"total_mutation_events":1},{"mutation_variant":"E545Q","mutation_type":"Missense_Mutation","altered_samples":1,"profiled_samples":566,"frequency_pct":0.2,"total_mutation_events":1},{"mutation_variant":"E866K","mutation_type":"Missense_Mutation","altered_samples":1,"profiled_samples":566,"frequency_pct":0.2,"total_mutation_events":1},{"mutation_variant":"G627*","mutation_type":"Nonsense_Mutation","altered_samples":1,"profiled_samples":566,"frequency_pct":0.2,"total_mutation_events":1},{"mutation_variant":"G719C","mutation_type":"Missense_Mutation","altered_samples":1,"profiled_samples":566,"frequency_pct":0.2,"total_mutation_events":1},{"mutation_variant":"G721V","mutation_type":"Missense_Mutation","altered_samples":1,"profiled_samples":566,"frequency_pct":0.2,"total_mutation_events":1},{"mutation_variant":"G901V","mutation_type":"Missense_Mutation","altered_samples":1,"profiled_samples":566,"frequency_pct":0.2,"total_mutation_events":1},{"mutation_variant":"H773dup","mutat … (3054 more chars) ▶ resolve_and_route { "studyIds": [ "luad_tcga_pan_can_atlas_2018" ] } ◀ result {"success":true,"message":"Found 1 study. Use the metadata to call the appropriate navigation tool(s).","data":{"totalCount":1,"studiesWithMetadata":[{"studyId":"luad_tcga_pan_can_atlas_2018","name":"Lung Adenocarcinoma (TCGA, PanCancer Atlas)","sampleCount":566,"studyViewUrl":"https://www.cbioportal.org/study?id=luad_tcga_pan_can_atlas_2018","metadata":{"clinicalAttributeIds":["AGE","AJCC_PATHOLOGIC_TUMOR_STAGE","AJCC_STAGING_EDITION","ANEUPLOIDY_SCORE","BUFFA_HYPOXIA_SCORE","CANCER_TYPE","CANCER_TYPE_ACRONYM","CANCER_TYPE_DETAILED","DAYS_LAST_FOLLOWUP","DAYS_TO_BIRTH","DAYS_TO_INITIAL_PATHOLOGIC_DIAGNOSIS","DFS_MONTHS","DFS_STATUS","DSS_MONTHS","DSS_STATUS","ETHNICITY","FORM_COMPLETION_DATE","FRACTION_GENOME_ALTERED","GENETIC_ANCESTRY_LABEL","GRADE","HISTORY_NEOADJUVANT_TRTYN","ICD_10","ICD_O_3_HISTOLOGY","ICD_O_3_SITE","INFORMED_CONSENT_VERIFIED","IN_PANCANPATHWAYS_FREEZE","MSI_SCORE_MANTIS","MSI_SENSOR_SCORE","MUTATION_COUNT","NEW_TUMOR_EVENT_AFTER_INITIAL_TREATMENT","ONCOTREE_CODE","OS_MONTHS","OS_STATUS","OTHER_PATIENT_ID","PATH_M_STAGE","PATH_N_STAGE","PATH_T_STAGE","PERSON_NEOPLASM_CANCER_STATUS","PFS_MONTHS","PFS_STATUS","PRIMARY_LYMPH_NODE_PRESENTATION_ASSESSMENT","PRIOR_DX","RACE","RADIATION_THERAPY","RAGNUM_HYPOXIA_SCORE","SAMPLE_COUNT","SAMPLE_TYPE","SEX","SOMATIC_STATUS","SUBTYPE","TBL_SCORE","TISSUE_PROSPECTIVE_COLLECTION_INDICATOR","TISSUE_RETROSPECTIVE_COLLECTION_INDICATOR","TISSUE_SOURCE_SITE","TISSUE_SOURCE_SITE_CODE","TMB_NONSYNONYMOUS","TUMOR_TISSUE_SITE","TUMOR_TYPE","WEIGHT","WINTER_HYPOXIA_SCORE"],"molecularProfileIds":["luad_tcga_pan_can_atlas_2018_gistic","luad_tcga_pan_can_atlas_2018_log2CNA","luad_tcga_pan_can_atlas_2018_mutations","luad_tcga_pan_can_atlas_2018_rna_seq_v2_mrna","luad_tcga_pan_can_atlas_2018_rna_seq_v2_mrna_median_Zscores","luad_tcga_pan_can_atlas_2018_rna_seq_v2_mrna_median_all_sample_Zscores","luad_tcga_pan_can_atlas_2018_rna_seq_v2_mrna_median_all_sample_ref_normal_Zscores","luad_tcga_pan_can_atlas_2018_rppa","luad_tcga_pan_can_atlas_2018_rppa_Zscores","luad_tcga_pan_can_atlas_2018_structural_variants"],"genericAssayProfiles":["luad_tcga_pan_can_atlas_2018_armlevel_cna","luad_tcga_pan_can_atlas_2018_genetic_ancestry","luad_tcga_pan_can_atlas_2018_methylation_hm27_hm450_merge","luad_tcga_pan_can_atlas_2018_methylation_hm450"],"heatmapProfileIds":["luad_tcga_pan_can_atlas_2018_rna_seq_v2_mrna_median_Zscores","luad_tcga_pan_can_atlas_2018_rna_seq_v2_mrna_median_all_sample_Zscores","luad_tcga_pan_can_atlas_2018_rna_seq_v2_mrna_median_all_sample_ref_normal_Zscores","luad_tcga_pan_can_atlas_2018_rppa_Zscores"],"availableComparisonTabs":["overlap","clinical","survival","alterations","mutations","mrna","protein","generic_assay_armlevel_cna","generic_assay_genetic_ancestry","generic_assay_methylation"]}}]}} ▶ navigate_to_results_view { "studyIds": [ "luad_tcga_pan_can_atlas_2018" ], "genes": [ "EGFR" ], "tab": "mutations" } ◀ result {"success":true,"message":"Navigating to https://www.cbioportal.org/results/mutations?cancer_study_list=luad_tcga_pan_can_atlas_2018&gene_list=EGFR&case_set_id=luad_tcga_pan_can_atlas_2018_all","url":"https://www.cbioportal.org/results/mutations?cancer_study_list=luad_tcga_pan_can_atlas_2018&gene_list=EGFR&case_set_id=luad_tcga_pan_can_atlas_2018_all","data":{"studyIds":["luad_tcga_pan_can_atlas_2018"],"studies":[{"studyId":"luad_tcga_pan_can_atlas_2018","name":"Lung Adenocarcinoma (TCGA, PanCancer Atlas)","sampleCount":566}],"genes":["EGFR"],"caseSetId":"luad_tcga_pan_can_atlas_2018_all","pageDescription":"Detailed mutation table with lollipop plot showing mutation positions, types, and frequencies for queried genes."}} ═ answer (success) Perfect! Now let me present the findings: ## EGFR Mutation Variants in Lung Adenocarcinoma (TCGA PanCancer Atlas) **Study:** [Lung Adenocarcinoma (TCGA, PanCancer Atlas)](https://www.cbioportal.org/study/summary?id=luad_tcga_pan_can_atlas_2018) — 566 samples ### Top EGFR Mutations | Variant | Type | Samples | Frequency | Known Hotspot? | |---------|------|---------|-----------|---| | **L858R** | Missense | 23/566 | 4.1% | ✓ Yes | | **E746_A750del** | In-Frame Deletion | 16/566 | 2.8% | ✓ Yes | | L861Q | Missense | 3/566 | 0.5% | ✓ Yes | | G719A | Missense | 2/566 | 0.4% | ✓ Yes | | G719C | Missense | 1/566 | 0.2% | ✓ Yes | | T790M | Missense | 2/566 | 0.4% | ⚠ Secondary (resistance) | | S768I | Missense | 2/566 | 0.4% | ⚠ Rare variant | | *Others* | Mixed | 1/566 | 0.2% ea. | – | ### Known EGFR Hotspot Summary **Total EGFR mutations detected:** 60/566 samples (10.6%) **Classic TKI-sensitive hotspots:** - L858R + E746_A750del + L861Q + G719A/G719C = **45 samples / 60 mutant = 75%** of all EGFR-mutant samples - As percentage of entire cohort: **45/566 = 7.9%** ### Key Findings 1. **L858R is the dominant variant** — nearly 40% of all EGFR mutations in LUAD (23/60) 2. **Exon 19 deletions (E746_A750del) are the second most common** — ~27% of mutations (16/60); this represents the classic 19-del associated with TKI sensitivity 3. **Three-quarters (75%) of EGFR mutations are known TKI-sensitive hotspots**, with the remaining 25% being rare variants or secondary mutations (e.g., T790M conferring resistance) ### Navigate Results [View all EGFR mutations with lollipop plot](https://www.cbioportal.org/results/mutations?cancer_study_list=luad_tcga_pan_can_atlas_2018&gene_list=EGFR&case_set_id=luad_tcga_pan_can_atlas_2018_all)