Cancer treatment can change the way you think about travelling. A holiday you might once have booked without much thought can suddenly come with questions about treatment dates, side effects, medication and whether you will feel well enough to go.
But having cancer treatment does not necessarily mean putting travel plans aside.
You may be hoping to get away between treatments, planning something to look forward to once treatment has finished, or thinking about your first holiday as you begin to recover.
For some people, that first trip can feel like an important milestone. For others, travelling during treatment can simply be a chance to spend time with family, have a change of scenery or enjoy something away from appointments and hospitals.
At Lighthouse Travel Insurance, we help people living with and recovering from cancer find cover that takes their medical circumstances into account.
We know that travelling during or after cancer treatment can bring up questions you may never have needed to consider before. Can you travel during treatment? How soon after treatment can you fly? What happens if your treatment changes? Can you take your medication abroad? Do you still need to tell your travel insurer about treatment once it has finished?
There is not one answer that applies to everybody. Your treatment, how it affects you and your current health all matter.
That is why we have brought together practical information to help you understand what to think about before you travel and where to find more detailed guidance for your particular treatment or concern.
Can you get travel insurance during or after cancer treatment?
In many cases, travel insurance is available if you are currently receiving cancer treatment or have finished treatment.
When you get a quote, you will go through a medical screening where we will ask questions about your cancer diagnosis, treatment, medication and current health. This helps us understand your individual circumstances and the cover available to you.
Your circumstances can be very different depending on the treatment you are having.
Someone taking hormone therapy over a number of years, for example, may have very different travel considerations from someone receiving chemotherapy in cycles or recovering from cancer surgery.
Similarly, somebody who has finished treatment but is still experiencing fatigue may need to plan their holiday differently from somebody who has recovered well and returned to their usual activities.
It is important to answer the questions accurately so you can be confident you have declared the medical information we need.
Understanding cancer treatment and Your Travel Insurance
Cancer can be treated in many different ways. The treatment recommended for you will depend on factors including the type of cancer you have and your individual circumstances.
You may have one type of treatment or a combination of treatments, and some treatments can continue for much longer than others.
Across the Lighthouse Cancer Hub, you can find more detailed information about travelling during and after different types of cancer treatment.
Treatments
Chemotherapy: Chemotherapy uses anti-cancer drugs to destroy cancer cells. Treatment is often given in cycles, which can mean there are particular considerations when deciding when to travel.
Visit our Travelling During and After Chemotherapy page
Radiotherapy: Radiotherapy uses high-energy radiation to destroy cancer cells. Treatment schedules, fatigue and skin sensitivity are among the things that may need to be considered when planning a holiday.
Visit our Travelling During and After Radiotherapy page
Immunotherapy: Immunotherapy helps the immune system recognise and attack cancer cells. Treatment schedules and possible immune-related side effects can be important considerations when travelling.
Visit our Travelling During and After Immunotherapy page
Hormone therapy: Hormone therapy can slow or stop the growth of cancers that depend on hormones. Some people take hormone therapy for several years, so holidays and travel may form part of everyday life while treatment continues.
Visit our Travelling During and After Hormone Therapy page
Cancer surgery: How soon you can travel after cancer surgery will depend on the operation you have had and how you are recovering. Your healthcare team can advise you about when different types of travel are appropriate.
Visit our Travelling After Cancer Surgery page
Stem cell and bone marrow transplants: Recovery following a stem cell or bone marrow transplant can take time. Infection risk, vaccinations and your immune system can all be particularly important when thinking about travelling.
Visit our Travelling After a Stem Cell or Bone Marrow Transplant page
Clinical trials: Taking part in a clinical trial does not necessarily mean you cannot travel, but trial appointments, monitoring and the treatment you are receiving may affect your plans.
Visit our Travelling While Taking Part in a Cancer Clinical Trial page
Whatever treatment you are having, your individual circumstances matter.
When you get a travel insurance quote, we may ask about your cancer diagnosis, the treatment you have received or are currently having, any medication you take and your ongoing care.
This helps us understand your health as it is today and assess the cover available to you. You do not need to work out what information is relevant before you start. Our medical screening process will guide you through the questions we need to ask.
Travelling during cancer treatment
Whether you can travel during cancer treatment will depend on the treatment you are receiving, how it is affecting you and advice from your healthcare team.
Some people may feel well enough to travel at certain points during treatment. For others, side effects, treatment schedules or the risk of becoming unwell may mean that travelling is not appropriate at that time.
If you are thinking about a holiday during treatment, speak to your healthcare team before booking.
They understand your treatment plan and can help you think about whether travelling is appropriate, how your treatment dates fit around your plans and whether there are particular times when side effects or infection risk may be greater.
Do not change, delay or miss cancer treatment simply to fit around a holiday unless this has been agreed with your healthcare team.
For further information you can visit our Travel Insurance during Active Cancer Treatment page
Travelling after cancer treatment
Finishing cancer treatment can be an important milestone.
For some people, a holiday is one of the things they have been looking forward to throughout treatment. It might be a chance to spend time with family, return somewhere you love or simply enjoy being somewhere that feels completely separate from hospitals and appointments.
But finishing treatment does not always mean that its effects disappear immediately.
Fatigue, changes to your immune system, skin sensitivity and other side effects can sometimes continue after treatment has ended. How long recovery takes will depend on the treatment you have received and your individual health.
There is no single waiting period after cancer treatment that will be right for everybody.
Speak to your healthcare team about your travel plans, particularly if you have only recently finished treatment or are experiencing ongoing side effects.
Your first holiday after treatment does not need to prove that everything is back to how it was before your diagnosis. Choosing a trip that works for how you feel now can make it much easier to enjoy being away.
For further information you can visit our Travel Insurance after Cancer Treatment page
Planning a holiday around cancer treatment
A little extra preparation can make travelling during treatment or recovery feel much more manageable.
Before you travel
- Speak to your healthcare team: Tell them where you are planning to go, how long you will be away and how you intend to travel.
- Plan around treatment and appointments: Make sure your trip does not clash with treatment, blood tests, scans or follow-up appointments your healthcare team considers important.
- Ask about side effects: Find out whether there are side effects that could affect your journey or holiday and what you should do if they occur while you are away.
- Think about your energy levels: Consider whether the journey and itinerary you are planning are realistic for how you currently feel.
- Ask about infection risk: Some cancer treatments can weaken your immune system. Your healthcare team can advise whether this should affect where or when you travel.
- Check vaccinations early: Treatment can affect which travel vaccinations are suitable for you and when you can have them. Discuss any travel vaccinations requirements in advance because they may need to be timed around treatment.
- Plan your medication: Make sure you have enough for your trip and understand any storage or documentation requirements.
- Consider airport assistance: If fatigue, weakness or reduced mobility could make the journey difficult, check what assistance your airline or airport can provide.
- Research healthcare at your destination: Think about where you could obtain appropriate medical help if you became unwell while you are away.
During your holiday
Once you are away, try to travel at a pace that reflects how you are feeling rather than how much you think you should be doing.
You may find it helpful to:
- Build rest into your itinerary if you experience fatigue
- Keep well hydrated, particularly in warmer destinations
- Follow any infection precautions recommended by your healthcare team
- Protect your skin from strong sunlight, particularly if your treatment has increased sun sensitivity
- Carry essential medication with you
- Store medication according to its instructions
- Know what your medical team has advised you to do if you become unwell
- Know where you could obtain medical assistance locally
- Keep your insurer’s emergency assistance details somewhere easily accessible
- Leave some flexibility in your plans in case your energy levels or symptoms change
A little extra preparation before you leave can help make your treatment less of a focus once your holiday begins.
Travel considerations during and after cancer treatment
The treatment you are having is only part of the picture.
Sometimes it is a particular side effect or practical concern that has the biggest impact on travelling. That is why we have separate Lighthouse guides covering some of the issues people may encounter during treatment and recovery.
Cancer fatigue and travel
Cancer-related fatigue can affect people during treatment and can sometimes continue after treatment has finished. It can feel different from ordinary tiredness and may make journeys, airports, sightseeing and busy days more demanding.
If fatigue is affecting you, planning a little differently can help. You might choose a shorter journey, allow more time for connections, arrange airport assistance or leave more space in your itinerary for rest.
Try to plan around how you feel now rather than putting pressure on yourself to travel in exactly the same way you did before treatment.
Read our guide to Cancer Fatigue and Travel
Immunity and travel
Cancer itself and some treatments can weaken your immune system, increasing your risk of infection.
Your risk can depend on the treatment you are receiving and where you are in your treatment or recovery. It may also affect decisions about destinations, food and water, vaccinations and what you should do if you become unwell while abroad.
Speak to your healthcare team about your individual infection risk before travelling.
Read our guide to Immunity and Travel
Flying after cancer treatment
There is no single rule about when everyone can fly after cancer treatment.
Your healthcare team may need to consider factors such as the treatment you have received, recent surgery, anaemia, platelet levels, breathing difficulties, infection risk, blood clot risk and your general health. Some people may be advised to wait before flying.
Cancer and some cancer treatments can also increase the risk of blood clots, while sitting still for long periods during a journey can add to that risk.
Speak to your healthcare team before flying if you have concerns, and check whether your airline has any medical or fitness-to-fly requirements.
Read our guide to Flying During and After Cancer Treatment
Taking cancer medication abroad
If you need medication while you are away, planning ahead can help avoid problems.
Different countries can have different rules about medicines. Depending on what you take, you may also need supporting documentation such as a prescription or letter from your doctor. Some medicines need particular storage conditions, while travelling across time zones can affect when you take them.
Make sure you have enough medication for your trip, plus additional supplies where appropriate in case you are delayed, and keep essential medicines in your hand luggage.
The Importance of Declaring Your Medical Conditions
Whether it is unexpected medical treatment abroad or returning home early because of a medical emergency, healthcare costs while travelling can quickly become expensive. Having travel insurance that reflects your individual health is therefore an important part of travelling with confidence.
When arranging your travel insurance, it is important to tell us about:
- Your cancer diagnosis
- Any cancer treatment you are currently receiving
- Treatment you have recently completed
- Any medication you are taking
- Any surgery or procedures you have had
- Any ongoing hospital appointments, scans, blood tests or follow-up care
- Any medical conditions that have developed as a result of your cancer or its treatment
- Any side effects your have from the cancer and the treatment you take or have taken
- Any other medical conditions you have
Providing accurate information allows us to assess your circumstances and explain the cover available to you.
If medical conditions or treatments are not declared when required, it could affect your cover and may mean claims relating to those conditions cannot be paid.
At Lighthouse, we aim to make medical screening straightforward, helping you understand what information we need so you can travel with greater peace of mind.
Why Choose Lighthouse Travel Insurance?
Our policies can offer:
- Up to £10 million emergency medical expenses.
- Up to £10,000 cancellation cover, based on the trip cost per person declared.
- Up to £5,000 cover for your personal belongings, depending on the policy selected.
- 24/7 access to an Emergency Medical Assistance team.
- Cover for UK, European and Worldwide trips, provided you are not travelling against the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office’s (FCDO) travel advice.
- Access to Air Doctor Connect is available on numerous policies, allowing you to connect with over 20,000 doctors in 78 countries. Where non-urgent outpatient treatment is provided through Air Doctor Connect, your policy excess is waived, and you may claim back the cost of prescribed medication when you return home.
Please Note: Any amounts listed above are per insured person on the policy. Cover limits, benefits and exclusions vary between policies. Full details can be found in your policy wording, available in your Customer Area
