Travelling abroad with cancer advice

Most people travelling abroad with cancer do so without any problems. And it can be a brilliant way to relax, recharge and lift your mood. But there may be times when it isn’t such a good idea.

Whether or not you should fly abroad when you have cancer depends on a few factors, such as how sick you are, your medical needs and any treatment you’re on.

The best place to start is by speaking to your doctor or care team. Ask their advice about flying with cancer before booking any air tickets or holidays. You may also need a hospital letter in order to travel with your chosen airline and what’s known as ‘fit to fly’ clearance.

Some of the reasons that flying with cancer might not be recommended include:

• If it’s too soon after surgery (recovery time varies between people and operation types)
• Low platelet count caused by cancer treatment. This means your risk of bleeding is high. 
• High risk of blood clots. Some cancers, treatments and recovery periods after surgery carry an increased risk of deep vein thrombosis (DVT) and flying can amplify it. Long-haul flights carry more risk than short-haul travel does. Blood thinning tablets might be recommended before flying.
• After a bone marrow or stem cell transplant. Doctors usually advise waiting at least six months to travel abroad to avoid infections.
• Anaemia. This affects the blood cells which carry oxygen around your body. It can make you breathless and flying could make this worse.

If you want to fly while taking chemotherapy drugs or between courses of treatment, speak to your doctor before booking a trip. Advice varies from case to case.

Treatment side effects could impact how safe it is for you to fly while having chemotherapy and where you can travel to. This can include low platelet counts, anaemia and the risk of DVT. It doesn’t always mean you can’t travel, but extra precautions might be needed.

You may also feel too unwell for air travel. It can be difficult to predict how you’re going to feel after and during chemotherapy, and one treatment can affect you differently from the next.

Generally speaking, most people are advised to wait up to four weeks after treatment before flying. But this doesn’t mean that you can’t fly while having chemotherapy. Your doctor may say it’s okay with certain safety measures in place or you may be advised to avoid certain destinations.

How soon you can fly after radiotherapy will depend on the type, length and area of your body targetted during treatment. Some side effects could make travelling uncomfortable until you’re fully recovered. Speak to your doctor or healthcare team about the right time to fly after radiotherapy treatment.

If you decide to travel abroad when you have cancer and your doctor says it’s okay, there’ll be some things to think about when preparing for your trip. If you can, try to plan everything well in advance to ensure you have the right support and documents in place.

Things you should consider include:

• Will you need oxygen on the aircraft? It’s best to check this at the time of booking, as a small number of airlines do not allow you to have medical oxygen on board. Most airlines can arrange this for you, but often need plenty of notice.
• Do you require special assistance such as a wheelchair at the airport? You’ll need to arrange this with your airline in advance. 
• Are you at a higher risk of infection? As some treatments and cancer affect immunity, you may want to consider visiting countries where the chance of illness is lower.
• Travel vaccinations. Some types of cancer and treatment will mean that vaccines for tropical diseases are not advised. This could impact where you can travel to.
• Sensitivity to sunlight. Many cancer treatments make your skin extra sensitive to UV rays which means you’ll be advised to stay out of the sun and where a high-factor SPF.
• Will you need any special facilities or accessibility requirements? If so, choose an accessible hotel with the amenities you need.
• Medication. Pack this in your hand luggage in its original, labelled packaging and take plenty with you in case you’re delayed. For certain medications, large quantities, liquids over 100ml and needles/syringes, you may need a copy of your prescription and/or a letter from your doctor to show to airport security. Some countries have strict rules around medications like strong painkillers. Check any restrictions well in advance so that you can arrange the right documentation for travel. Consider packing supplies in more than one bag (including your hold luggage if medication isn’t restricted) in case one is lost.
• Travel insurance. This is an essential part of travelling with cancer, in case you need medical assistance abroad. Read Teenage Cancer Trust’s advice on this. 
• Healthcare cards. The UK Global Health Insurance Card (GHIC) or a UK European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) entitle you to state-funded emergency medical treatment that is free or low-cost in EU countries. These are not a substitute for travel insurance. Find out more on how to apply and which card you’re entitled to on the NHS website.

Once you’re on holiday, enjoying yourself is important. And there are some ways to help to make sure that your trip isn’t impacted by a new illness or any complications.

Tips for avoiding illness when you’re travelling include:

• Compression socks and moving around on the plane. This can reduce your risk of DVT.
• Strict hand hygiene. Wash hands regularly and carry hand sanitiser with you.
• Wear insect repellent to help protect against bites and any mosquito-borne illnesses. If you’re travelling to a high-risk country, anti-malaria tablets may also be needed.
• Staying out of the sun. As we’ve mentioned above, cancer treatments can impact your skin’s sensitivity to sunlight so stay in the shade, cover up and wear high-SPF suncream.
• Be careful when swimming. As swimming pools can contain germs, you may be advised to avoid swimming to prevent infection.
• Taking antibiotics with you. These can be prescribed in advance by your doctor in case you do fall ill with an infection while on holiday.
• Update medical details and emergency contacts on your phone in case you do fall ill.