A nurse-led cross-sectional latent profile analysis of fear of cancer recurrence in patients with non-muscle-invasive bladder cancer

To identify distinct latent profiles of fear of cancer recurrence (FCR) among patients with bladder cancer and to examine sociodemographic and modifiable psychosocial correlates (self-management and social support) from a nursing perspective. We conducted a nurse-led cross-sectional study of patients with non-muscle-invasive bladder cancer in northern China (August 2023-October 2024). Participants completed a general demographic questionnaire, the fear of progression questionnaire-short form, the Self-management Assessment Scale for Cancer Patients, and the Social Support Rating Scale. Latent profile analysis was used to derive FCR profiles, and multinomial logistic regression examined differences in demographic and clinical variables across profiles. Three hundred thirteen bladder cancer patients recruited. Latent profile analysis revealed 2 distinct FCR profiles: "High-FCR Dysregulated Group" (66.5%) and the "Low-FCR Family-Concerned Group" (33.5%). Compared to the low-FCR class, the high-FCR class was more likely to be female, have higher educational levels, and report a lower monthly per capita household income. Furthermore, patients in the high-FCR group demonstrated significantly lower scores in both self-management and social support (P < .05). Fear of cancer recurrence among patients with non-muscle-invasive bladder cancer is heterogeneous. Latent profile analysis may assist nurses in identifying subgroups with distinct psychosocial characteristics. Lower levels of self-management ability and social support were associated with higher FCR profiles, suggesting potential targets for future nurse-led psychosocial interventions.