{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,9,18]],"date-time":"2026-09-18T06:08:32Z","timestamp":1789711712626,"version":"4.0.1"},"reference-count":54,"publisher":"Frontiers Media SA","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2026,9,18]],"date-time":"2026-09-18T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1789689600000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"content-domain":{"domain":["frontiersin.org"],"crossmark-restriction":true},"short-container-title":["Front. Psychol."],"abstract":"<jats:sec>\n                    <jats:title>Background<\/jats:title>\n                    <jats:p>Fear of progression is a common psychological burden among nasopharyngeal carcinoma patients, persisting for many years following treatment completion. However, most existing studies focus on total scale scores and overlook the potential heterogeneity in profiles of fear of progression among nasopharyngeal carcinoma patients. Consequently, this study aims to identify the latent profiles of fear of progression among nasopharyngeal carcinoma patients and to explore factors of these profiles, including sociodemographic characteristics, clinical characteristics, illness perception, and meaning in life.<\/jats:p>\n                  <\/jats:sec>\n                  <jats:sec>\n                    <jats:title>Methods<\/jats:title>\n                    <jats:p>A total of 296 nasopharyngeal carcinoma patients completed the sociodemographic and disease related questionnaire, fear of progression questionnaire-short form, brief illness perception questionnaire and purpose in life test. Latent profile analysis was used to explore the subgroups of fear of progression. The variables associated fear of progression sub-profiles were compared using chi-square test, Fisher's exact test, Kruskal\u2013Wallis H test and multivariate logistic regression analysis.<\/jats:p>\n                  <\/jats:sec>\n                  <jats:sec>\n                    <jats:title>Findings<\/jats:title>\n                    <jats:p>The fear of progression among nasopharyngeal carcinoma patients can be categorized into three profiles: low, moderate, and high fear profiles. The results of the multivariate logistic regression showed that gender, age and initial diagnosis\/recurrence were signifcant factors associated with the subgroups of fear of progression. Female patients, patients aged 18\u201330 years, and those with recurrent nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) were prone to high fear profile. The result indicated that the higher illness perception and lower meaning in life, the greater the likelihood of being classified into a higher fear profile.<\/jats:p>\n                  <\/jats:sec>\n                  <jats:sec>\n                    <jats:title>Implications<\/jats:title>\n                    <jats:p>Three latent profiles of fear of progression exist in the nasopharyngeal carcinoma patients. Healthcare providers should develop and implement tailored strategies based on the characteristics of three profiles to alleviate fear of progression and maintain mental health.<\/jats:p>\n                  <\/jats:sec>","DOI":"10.3389\/fpsyg.2026.1875992","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2026,9,18]],"date-time":"2026-09-18T05:36:06Z","timestamp":1789709766000},"update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3389\/crossmark-policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":0,"title":["Latent profile analysis and related factors for fear of progression among nasopharyngeal carcinoma patients"],"prefix":"10.3389","volume":"17","author":[{"given":"Mimi","family":"Zheng","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Nursing, Shanghai Proton and Heavy Ion Center, Fudan University Cancer Hospital","place":["Shanghai, China"]},{"name":"Shanghai Key Laboratory of Radiation Oncology","place":["Shanghai, China"]},{"name":"Shanghai Engineering Research Center of Proton and Heavy Ion Radiation Therapy","place":["Shanghai, China"]}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Shuman","family":"Wang","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Nursing, Shanghai Proton and Heavy Ion Center, Fudan University Cancer Hospital","place":["Shanghai, China"]},{"name":"Shanghai Key Laboratory of Radiation Oncology","place":["Shanghai, China"]},{"name":"Shanghai Engineering Research Center of Proton and Heavy Ion Radiation Therapy","place":["Shanghai, China"]}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Yu","family":"Zhu","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Nursing, Shanghai Proton and Heavy Ion Center, Fudan University Cancer Hospital","place":["Shanghai, China"]},{"name":"Shanghai Key Laboratory of Radiation Oncology","place":["Shanghai, China"]},{"name":"Shanghai Engineering Research Center of Proton and Heavy Ion Radiation Therapy","place":["Shanghai, China"]}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Hongwei","family":"Wan","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Nursing, Shanghai Proton and Heavy Ion Center, Fudan University Cancer Hospital","place":["Shanghai, China"]},{"name":"Shanghai Key Laboratory of Radiation Oncology","place":["Shanghai, China"]},{"name":"Shanghai Engineering Research Center of Proton and Heavy Ion Radiation Therapy","place":["Shanghai, China"]}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"1965","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2026,9,18]]},"reference":[{"key":"B1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"11","DOI":"10.1007\/s12029-024-01115-6","article-title":"The Persian version of the fear of progression questionnaire's short form (FOPQ-SF): psychometric features among cancer patients","volume":"56","author":"Alimolk","year":"2024","journal-title":"J. Gastrointest. Cancer"},{"key":"B2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"183","DOI":"10.1186\/s13014-025-02769-7","article-title":"Outcomes and recurrence pattern analysis of intensity modulated chemoradiotherapy in nasopharyngeal cancer: a retrospective study from Heidelberg University Hospital","volume":"20","author":"Bauer","year":"2025","journal-title":"Radiat. Oncol."},{"key":"B3","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"107757","DOI":"10.1016\/j.oraloncology.2025.107757","article-title":"Fear of cancer recurrence in adults with p16-positive head and neck cancer after radiotherapy - esults from a multicenter cross-sectional observational study","volume":"170","author":"Boide","year":"2025","journal-title":"Oral Oncol."},{"key":"B4","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"631","DOI":"10.1016\/j.jpsychores.2005.10.020","article-title":"The brief illness perception questionnaire","volume":"60","author":"Broadbent","year":"2006","journal-title":"J. Psychosom. Res."},{"key":"B5","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"106628","DOI":"10.1016\/j.actpsy.2026.106628","article-title":"The sequential mediating roles of psychological flexibility and maladaptive cognitive emotion regulation between illness perception and fear of cancer recurrence in gastrointestinal cancer patients","volume":"265","author":"Cai","year":"2026","journal-title":"Acta Psychol (Amst)"},{"key":"B6","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"909","DOI":"10.3390\/cancers16050909","article-title":"Fear of recurrence in advanced cancer patients: sociodemographic, clinical, and psychological correlates","volume":"16","author":"Calderon","year":"2024","journal-title":"Cancers (Basel)"},{"key":"B7","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1007\/s11764-025-01812-6.","article-title":"Fear of cancer recurrence among adolescent and young adult cancer survivors: a mixed-methods systematic review","author":"Chen","year":"2025","journal-title":"J. Cancer Surviv"},{"key":"B8","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"e2532512","DOI":"10.1001\/jamanetworkopen.2025.32512","article-title":"Improving the reporting on health equity in observational research (STROBE-equity): extension checklist and elaboration","volume":"8","author":"Dewidar","year":"2025","journal-title":"JAMA Netw Open"},{"key":"B9","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"155","DOI":"10.1037\/a0031131","article-title":"Cancer-related intrusive thoughts predict behavioral symptoms following breast cancer treatment","volume":"33","author":"Dupont","year":"2014","journal-title":"Health Psychol."},{"key":"B10","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"663","DOI":"10.1007\/s11764-015-0512-5","article-title":"Fear of cancer recurrence: a theoretical review and novel cognitive processing formulation","volume":"10","author":"Fardell","year":"2016","journal-title":"J. Cancer Surviv."},{"key":"B11","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"803","DOI":"10.1037\/hea0001397","article-title":"Anxiety, depression, and fear of cancer recurrence in head and neck cancer","volume":"43","author":"Fenech","year":"2024","journal-title":"Health Psychol."},{"key":"B12","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1177\/0165025419881721","article-title":"Finding latent groups in observed data: a primer on latent profile analysis in Mplus for applied researchers","volume":"44","author":"Ferguson","year":"2019","journal-title":"Int. J. Behav. Dev"},{"key":"B13","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"980","DOI":"10.1007\/s10865-024-00506-1","article-title":"Anxiety and fear of cancer recurrence as predictors of subsequent pain interference in early cancer survivorship: exploring the moderating roles of cognitive and emotional factors","volume":"47","author":"Gnall","year":"2024","journal-title":"J. Behav. Med."},{"key":"B14","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"4409","DOI":"10.3390\/cancers15174409","article-title":"An overview of head and neck tumor reirradiation: what has been achieved so far?","volume":"15","author":"Gordon","year":"2023","journal-title":"Cancers (Basel)"},{"key":"B15","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"541","DOI":"10.1089\/thy.2023.0642","article-title":"Fear of cancer recurrence in differentiated thyroid cancer survivors: a systematic review","volume":"34","author":"Hampton","year":"2024","journal-title":"Thyroid"},{"key":"B16","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"11","DOI":"10.1007\/978-3-642-40187-9_2","article-title":"Fear of progression","volume":"197","author":"Herschbach","year":"2014","journal-title":"Recent Results Cancer Res."},{"key":"B17","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"2534","DOI":"10.1111\/cas.15759","article-title":"Efficacy and safety of PLDR-IMRT for the re-irradiation of recurrent NPC: a prospective, single-arm, multicenter trial","volume":"114","author":"Huang","year":"2023","journal-title":"Cancer Sci"},{"key":"B18","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"e70307","DOI":"10.1002\/pon.70307","article-title":"Factors associated with fear of cancer recurrence in a multiethnic cohort of patients with breast cancer","volume":"34","author":"Jamal","year":"2025","journal-title":"Psychooncology."},{"key":"B19","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"506","DOI":"10.30773\/pi.2023.0354","article-title":"Dysfunctional self-focus and fear of progression in cancer patients mediated by depression, anxiety, and dysfunctional sleep beliefs","volume":"21","author":"Jrad","year":"2024","journal-title":"Psychiatry Investig."},{"key":"B20","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"364","DOI":"10.1002\/pon.5265","article-title":"Impact of fear of cancer recurrence on survival among lymphoma patients","volume":"29","author":"Kim","year":"2020","journal-title":"Psychooncology."},{"key":"B21","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"147","DOI":"10.1093\/abm\/kaad067","article-title":"Perceived and received social support and illness acceptance among breast cancer patients: the serial mediation of meaning-making and fear of recurrence","volume":"58","author":"Krok","year":"2024","journal-title":"Ann. Behav. Med."},{"key":"B22","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"692","DOI":"10.1093\/abm\/kaae029","article-title":"Personal resources and total pain: exploring the multiple mediation of fear of recurrence, meaning-making, and coping in posttreatment cancer patients","volume":"58","author":"Krok","year":"2024","journal-title":"Ann. Behav. Med"},{"key":"B23","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"211","DOI":"10.1007\/s00520-024-08413-6","article-title":"A latent class analysis of family resilience and its relationship with fear of recurrence in lung cancer patients: a cross-sectional study","volume":"32","author":"Lin","year":"2024","journal-title":"Support. Care Cancer"},{"key":"B24","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"1","DOI":"10.2147\/PPA.S610299","article-title":"Dynamic association between health literacy and fear of progression among nasopharyngeal cancer survivors during the post-treatment survivorship period: a multicenter exploratory longitudinal study","volume":"20","author":"Lin","year":"2026","journal-title":"Patient Prefer. Adher."},{"key":"B25","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"879","DOI":"10.1002\/pon.5921","article-title":"What is the prevalence of fear of cancer recurrence in cancer survivors and patients? a systematic review and individual participant data meta-analysis","volume":"31","author":"Luigjes-Huizer","year":"2022","journal-title":"Psychooncology."},{"key":"B26","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"274","DOI":"10.13109\/zptm.2006.52.3.274","article-title":"Fear of progression in breast cancer patients\u2013validation of the short form of the fear of progression questionnaire (FoP-Q-SF)]","volume":"52","author":"Mehnert","year":"2006","journal-title":"Z. Psychosom. Med. Psychother."},{"key":"B27","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"3187","DOI":"10.1002\/hed.25812","article-title":"Prevalence and clinical and psychological correlates of high fear of cancer recurrence in patients newly diagnosed with head and neck cancer","volume":"41","author":"Mirosevic","year":"2019","journal-title":"Head Neck"},{"key":"B28","volume-title":"Cambridge, MA and London","author":"Nagin","year":"2005"},{"key":"B29","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"3842592","DOI":"10.1155\/2024\/3842592","article-title":"Characterising potential subtypes and influencing factors of sleep quality in psychiatric nurses by latent profile analysis","volume":"2024","author":"Pan","year":"2024","journal-title":"J. Nurs. Manag."},{"key":"B30","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"257","DOI":"10.1037\/a0018301","article-title":"Making sense of the meaning literature: an integrative review of meaning making and its effects on adjustment to stressful life events","volume":"136","author":"Park","year":"2010","journal-title":"Psychol. Bull"},{"key":"B31","first-page":"183","article-title":"Analysis on status of fear of disease progression in patients with nasopharyngeal carcinoma after 5 years discharged from hospital and its influencing factors","volume":"34","author":"Qiu","year":"2020","journal-title":"Chin. Nurs. Res."},{"key":"B32","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"394","DOI":"10.1186\/s40359-025-02650-y","article-title":"Assessment of the fear of progression in Turkish cancer patients: a validation and reliability study fear of progression questionnaire short form","volume":"13","author":"Sahin","year":"2025","journal-title":"BMC Psychol"},{"key":"B33","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"567","DOI":"10.1007\/s11764-015-0434-2","article-title":"Anxiety and fear of cancer recurrence and its association with supportive care needs and health-care service utilization in cancer patients","volume":"9","author":"Sarkar","year":"2015","journal-title":"J. Cancer Surviv."},{"key":"B34","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"756","DOI":"10.1186\/s12888-024-06201-4","article-title":"The relationship between uncertainty and fear of disease progression among newly diagnosed cancer patients: the mediating role of intolerance of uncertainty","volume":"24","author":"Shen","year":"2024","journal-title":"BMC Psychiatry"},{"key":"B35","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"361","DOI":"10.1007\/s11764-010-0136-8","article-title":"Fear of cancer recurrence: specific profiles and nature of intrusive thoughts","volume":"4","author":"Simard","year":"2010","journal-title":"J. Cancer Surviv."},{"key":"B36","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"300","DOI":"10.1007\/s11764-013-0272-z","article-title":"Fear of cancer recurrence in adult cancer survivors: a systematic review of quantitative studies","volume":"7","author":"Simard","year":"2013","journal-title":"J. Cancer Surviv"},{"key":"B37","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"1184","DOI":"10.1007\/s11764-021-01109-4","article-title":"A systematic mixed studies review of fear of cancer recurrence in families and caregivers of adults diagnosed with cancer","volume":"16","author":"Smith","year":"2022","journal-title":"J. Cancer Surviv."},{"key":"B38","volume-title":"A Study of the Meaning of Adolescent Life [D].","author":"Song","year":"1992"},{"key":"B39","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"100847","DOI":"10.1016\/j.apjon.2025.100847","article-title":"Dyadic relationship experience in Chinese patients with advanced cancer and their spouses: a longitudinal qualitative study","volume":"13","author":"Sun","year":"2026","journal-title":"Asia Pac. J. Oncol. Nurs"},{"key":"B40","first-page":"1138","article-title":"Application of the Chinese version of brief illness perception questionnaire in patients with somatoform disorder","volume":"40","author":"Sun","year":"2015","journal-title":"J. Chongqing Med. Univ"},{"key":"B41","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"e70090","DOI":"10.3322\/caac.70090","article-title":"Global cancer statistics 2024: GLOBOCAN estimates of incidence and mortality worldwide for 34 cancers in 186 countries","volume":"76","author":"Sung","year":"2026","journal-title":"CA Cancer J. Clin."},{"key":"B42","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"1784","DOI":"10.1002\/cncr.32701","article-title":"Fear of cancer recurrence promotes cancer screening behaviors among family caregivers of cancer survivors","volume":"126","author":"Takeuchi","year":"2020","journal-title":"Cancer"},{"key":"B43","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"1959","DOI":"10.1002\/pon.5576","article-title":"Fear of cancer recurrence in childhood cancer survivors: a developmental perspective from infancy to young adulthood","volume":"29","author":"Tutelman","year":"2020","journal-title":"Psychooncology."},{"key":"B44","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"497","DOI":"10.1007\/s11764-020-00943-2","article-title":"Fear of cancer recurrence among young adult cancer survivors-exploring long-term contributing factors in a large, population-based cohort","volume":"15","author":"Vandraas","year":"2021","journal-title":"J. Cancer Surviv."},{"key":"B45","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"3076","DOI":"10.1002\/hed.28228","article-title":"Nasopharyngeal carcinoma in intensity-modulated radiation therapy era: competing-risk analysis, recurrence, and postrecurrence survival","volume":"47","author":"Wang","year":"2025","journal-title":"Head Neck"},{"key":"B46","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"370","DOI":"10.1007\/s00520-025-09415-8","article-title":"Latent profile analysis and related factors for meaning in life among young and middle-aged cancer patients","volume":"33","author":"Wang","year":"2025","journal-title":"Support. Care Cancer"},{"key":"B47","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"880978","DOI":"10.3389\/fpsyt.2022.880978","article-title":"Fear of progression, anxiety, and depression in patients with advanced melanoma in the COVID-19 and post-COVID-19 era","volume":"13","author":"Wang","year":"2022","journal-title":"Front. Psychiatry"},{"key":"B48","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"1185","DOI":"10.1002\/pon.5673","article-title":"A systematic review of fear of cancer recurrence related healthcare use and intervention cost-effectiveness","volume":"30","author":"Williams","year":"2021","journal-title":"Psychooncology."},{"key":"B49","first-page":"1515","article-title":"Reliability and validity of Chinese version of fear of progression questionnaire-short form for cancer patients","volume":"50","author":"Wu","year":"2015","journal-title":"Chin. J. Nurs"},{"key":"B50","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"122","DOI":"10.1186\/s12875-021-01476-y","article-title":"Family interaction among young Chinese breast cancer survivors","volume":"22","author":"Xu","year":"2021","journal-title":"BMC Fam. Pract"},{"key":"B51","first-page":"126","article-title":"Fear of disease progression and its correlation with post-radiotherapy symptom distress in young patients with nasopharyngeal carcinoma","volume":"23","author":"Yang","year":"2023","journal-title":"Chin. Nurs. Manag."},{"key":"B52","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"102520","DOI":"10.1016\/j.cpr.2024.102520","article-title":"Are digital psychological interventions for psychological distress and quality of life in cancer patients effective? a systematic review and network meta-analysis","volume":"115","author":"Zhang","year":"2025","journal-title":"Clin. Psychol. Rev."},{"key":"B53","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"e091087","DOI":"10.1136\/bmjopen-2024-091087","article-title":"Global epidemiological profile in nasopharyngeal carcinoma: a prediction study","volume":"14","author":"Zhang","year":"2024","journal-title":"BMJ Open"},{"key":"B54","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"1704087","DOI":"10.3389\/fmed.2025.1704087","article-title":"Navigating the shadow of fear: a qualitative study unveiling the lived experience of fear of cancer recurrence among Chinese gastric cancer survivors undergoing chemotherapy","volume":"12","author":"Zhao","year":"2025","journal-title":"Front. Med. (Lausanne)"}],"container-title":["Frontiers in Psychology"],"original-title":[],"link":[{"URL":"https:\/\/www.frontiersin.org\/articles\/10.3389\/fpsyg.2026.1875992\/full","content-type":"unspecified","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"similarity-checking"}],"deposited":{"date-parts":[[2026,9,18]],"date-time":"2026-09-18T05:36:08Z","timestamp":1789709768000},"score":1,"resource":{"primary":{"URL":"https:\/\/www.frontiersin.org\/articles\/10.3389\/fpsyg.2026.1875992\/full"}},"subtitle":[],"short-title":[],"issued":{"date-parts":[[2026,9,18]]},"references-count":54,"alternative-id":["10.3389\/fpsyg.2026.1875992"],"URL":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3389\/fpsyg.2026.1875992","relation":{},"ISSN":["1664-1078"],"issn-type":[{"value":"1664-1078","type":"electronic"}],"subject":[],"published":{"date-parts":[[2026,9,18]]},"article-number":"1875992"}}