Abstract: Objective: To explore the latent classes of Fear of Cancer Recurrence (FCR) in lung cancer patients and analyze the characteristics of different classes to inform the development of targeted intervention strategies. Methods: This study enrolled 418 lung cancer patients receiving treatment at a tertiary grade A hospital in Sichuan province from March to October 2024 using the convenience sampling method. Data were collected using general information questionnaire, the short form of Fear of Progression Questionnaire, the Brief Illness Perception Questionnaire, and the Family Resilience Scale. Latent profile analysis was used to explore the latent classes of FCR, and multivariate Logistic regression was used to analyze the influencing factors of latent classes. Results: Three latent classes of FCR were identified: low fear-psychological adaptation (25.8%), moderate fear-disease worry (43.8%), and high fear-psychological maladjustment (30.4%). Age, per capita monthly family income, occupational status, disease duration, cancer stage, treatment methods, illness perception and family resilience significantly influence the classification of FCR (all P<0.05). Conclusion: FCR in lung cancer patients exhibits distinct classification characteristics. Healthcare providers should consider these fear profiles and associated factors to implement timely interventions aimed at reducing patients' FCR.

Key words: lung cancer; Fear of Cancer Recurrence; illness perception; family resilience; latent profile analysis