Cancer is a disease that incidence rate, disability rate and mortality rate are high all over the world. It brings great physical and mental pain to patients. Cancer patients are in a life-threatening state of disease for a long time, which will produce fear of progression (FoP). FoP is a psychological state in which fear of disease may recur or progress. As early as the 1980s, foreign countries began the psychological research on the FoP of cancer patients. They found that this fear really exists in cancer patients and is affected by many factors. This paper reviews the concept of FoP and the related factors affecting FoP in cancer patients. The purpose is to provide reference for clinical early evaluation and reducing the FoP of cancer patients and formulating corresponding nursing measures.