Objective To investigate the current status of regret regarding palliative care decisions among surrogate decision⁃makers of patients with advanced cancer, and to analyze its influencing factors. Methods A total of 306 surrogate decision⁃makers for palliative care of patients with advanced cancer were selected as the research subjects using a convenience sampling method. They were surveyed using a general information questionnaire, the Chinese version of the Decision Regret Scale (DRS), the Chinese version of the Caregiver Preparedness Scale (CPS), the Decisional Conflict Scale (DCS), and the Quality of Dying and Death Questionnaire (QODD). Multiple linear regression model analysis was used to identify factors influencing regret regarding palliative care decisions among surrogate decision⁃makers of patients with advanced cancer. Results The DRS total score for surrogate decision⁃makers of patients with advanced cancer was 37.07±14.03, among them, 85.95% reported high levels of regret regarding palliative care decisions. Statistically significant differences in DRS total scores were observed between surrogate decision⁃makers for palliative acre of patients with advanced cancer with different gender, relationship with the patient, trust in the physician, level of understanding of palliative care, and whether they opted for treatments causing patient suffering with limited efficacy (P<0.05). The DRS total score negatively correlated with the CPS total score and QODD total score, and positively correlated with the DCS total score in surrogate decision⁃makers of patients with advanced cancer (P<0.05). Factors influencing decision regret of palliative care in surrogate decision⁃makers of patients with advanced cancer included trust in the physician, level of understanding of palliative care, whether they opted for treatments causing patient suffering with limited efficacy, preparedness for death, decision conflict, and the quality of dying and death of the patient (P<0.05). Conclusion Surrogate decision⁃makers of patients with advanced cancer experience high levels of regret regarding palliative care decisions. This regret is influenced by factors such as trust in the physician, level of understanding of palliative care, whether opting for treatments causing patient suffering with limited efficacy, preparedness for death, decision conflict, and the quality of dying and death of the patient.