Psychological resilience and quality of life in lung cancer patients: A cross-sectional study in Wuhu, China

Background: Lung cancer ranks among the most common and deadly cancers worldwide, profoundly impacting the physical, psychological, and social well-being of patients. The concept of psychological resilience—defined as the capacity to adapt and sustain mental health during challenging circumstances—has emerged as a vital element affecting the quality of life (QoL) of individuals with cancer. Objectives: This study aimed to examine whether psychological resilience is associated with quality of life in patients diagnosed with lung cancer. It specifically sought to measure resilience levels, evaluate QoL across multiple domains, and analyze the relationship between resilience and QoL using Python-facilitated statistical methods. Methods: A cross-sectional study design was utilized, involving 200 patients suffering from lung cancer who were recruited from the Wuhu City Traditional Chinese Medicine Hospital. Participants filled out the Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale (CD-RISC) to assess their psychological resilience and completed the European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer Quality of Life Questionnaire (EORTC QLQ-C30), including its lung cancer-specific module (QLQ-LC13), to evaluate their QoL. The data were analyzed through descriptive statistics, Pearson correlation coefficients, and multiple linear regression to ascertain the predictive significance of resilience on QoL while accounting for demographic and clinical factors. Results: The mean resilience score (CD-RISC) was 70.5 (SD = 12.3), and the mean overall QoL (EORTC QLQ-C30) was 65.2 (SD = 15.8). There were notable positive correlations between resilience and overall QoL (r = 0.58, p < 0.001), physical functioning (r = 0.45, p < 0.001), emotional well-being (r = 0.52, p < 0.001), and social functioning (r = 0.50, p < 0.001). Resilience also showed a negative correlation with symptom burden (r = −0.40, p < 0.001). In multiple linear regression, higher resilience remained significantly associated with better QoL (β = 0.58, p < 0.001), accounting for a substantial portion of the variability even after adjusting for age, gender, cancer stage, treatment type, and time since diagnosis. Conclusions: Higher psychological resilience was strongly associated with better QoL in lung cancer patients, including enhanced physical, emotional, and social functioning and reduced symptom burden. These findings highlight the importance of assessing and supporting resilience within clinical practice to promote comprehensive well-being among individuals undergoing lung cancer treatment. Further research—particularly with longitudinal or interventional designs—is recommended to clarify the causal pathways and optimize resilience-building strategies for diverse patient groups.