Objective To investigate the incidence, severity and longitudinal trajectories of symptoms at various time points in the perioperative period of lung cancer patients, and to provide scientific basis for clinical staff to implement predictive nursing and dynamic management of symptom clusters. Methods A prospective longitudinal investigation was conducted. The patients with lung cancer who underwent thoracoscopic lung surgery in four wards of the Department of Thoracic Surgery in our hospital were investigated by face-to-face and telephone follow-up before surgery, 1-2 days after surgery, on the day of discharge and 2 weeks after discharge. The investigation tool was the revised Chinese version of MD Anderson Symptom Inventory lung cancer specific module. Results  A total of 192 patients with lung cancer were included in this study, including 59 males and 133 females, with an average age of 55.68±11.01 years. There were two symptom clusters (respiratory-gastrointestinal and emotional/psychological-disturbed sleep symptom clusters) before surgery, three symptom clusters (respiratory, gastrointestinal, and emotional/psychological-disturbed sleep symptom clusters) 1-2 days after surgery, three symptom clusters (pain-fatigue-emotional/psychological, respiratory, and gastrointestinal symptom clusters) on the day of discharge, and two symptom clusters (pain-fatigue-respiratory and respiratory symptom clusters) 2 weeks after discharge. The composition of symptoms was different in each time point during perioperative period. Conclusion There are four symptom clusters in patients with lung cancer during perioperative period, which are pain-fatigue-disturbed sleep symptoms, gastrointestinal symptoms, respiratory symptoms and emotional/psychological symptoms. The symptom clusters of lung cancer patients at different time points are relatively stable, but the symptoms within the symptom clusters show dynamic changes. Medical staff should attach great importance to and continuously monitor the dynamic changes of perioperative symptom groups of lung cancer patients, do relevant education and nursing in advance, and timely adjust the management plan according to the symptom group evaluation results.