Chemotherapy treatment can make planning a holiday feel more complicated than it used to.
Alongside deciding where to go, you may now be thinking about treatment cycles, side effects, infection risk, blood tests and whether you will feel well enough to travel. You might also be wondering whether it is possible to get travel insurance while you are still having chemotherapy.
But having chemotherapy does not necessarily mean that travel has to be put on hold until treatment is over.
Some people may be able to travel at certain points during chemotherapy, while others may prefer, or be advised, to wait until treatment has finished and they have had some time to recover.
You may be hoping for a short break between treatments, planning a holiday to look forward to when chemotherapy finishes, or thinking about your first trip as you begin to feel more like yourself again.
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 chemotherapy can bring up very specific questions. When is the best time to travel between chemotherapy cycles? What if your immune system is weakened? Can you fly after chemotherapy? What happens if you have a PICC line or port-a-cath? How soon after your final treatment can you go on holiday?
There is not one answer that applies to everyone. The chemotherapy you are receiving, how you respond to it and your current health all matter.
That is why we have brought together some of the practical things you may want to consider when planning your trip.
Can you get travel insurance during chemotherapy?
In many cases, travel insurance may be available while you are having chemotherapy.
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.
Chemotherapy can be given in different ways and over different periods of time. How it affects you can also vary throughout your treatment.
Someone who is part-way through a course of chemotherapy, for example, may have different circumstances from somebody whose final treatment was several months ago and who is recovering well.
It is important to answer the medical screening questions accurately so you can be confident you have declared the information we need.
Understanding chemotherapy and Your Travel Insurance
Chemotherapy uses anti-cancer drugs to destroy cancer cells.
It can be used to treat many different cancers and may be given on its own or alongside other treatments such as surgery, radiotherapy, immunotherapy or targeted treatments.
Chemotherapy is often given in cycles. You have treatment followed by a period of rest before the next treatment begins. The length and number of cycles will depend on the chemotherapy you are receiving and your treatment plan.
Chemotherapy can be given in different ways too. Some chemotherapy drugs are given into a vein, while others can be taken as tablets or capsules.
If chemotherapy is given into a vein, it may be given through a cannula, central line, PICC line or port-a-cath.
For travel insurance, it is your individual circumstances that matter.
When you get a quote, we may ask about your cancer diagnosis, the chemotherapy you are receiving or have received, any other treatment, medication 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 decide for yourself which medical details are relevant before you start. Our medical screening process will guide you through the questions we need to ask.
Find out more about Travelling During and After Cancer Treatment
Travelling during chemotherapy
Whether you can travel during chemotherapy will depend on the treatment you are receiving, where you are in your treatment cycle, how you are responding and advice from your cancer team.
Some people may feel well enough to travel at certain points between treatments.
But feeling well is not the only consideration.
Chemotherapy can affect your immune system and blood counts, and there may be times during treatment when your risk of infection or other complications is greater.
Before booking, tell your cancer team where you are thinking of going, how long you want to be away and how you intend to travel.
They can help you understand whether your treatment schedule and current health make the trip appropriate.
Do not delay, change or miss chemotherapy simply to fit around a holiday unless this has been agreed with your cancer team.
Planning a holiday between chemotherapy cycles
It can be tempting to look at the gap between two chemotherapy appointments and see an opportunity to get away.
For some people, that may be possible. But the dates of your treatment are only part of the picture.
How you feel can change during each chemotherapy cycle. Side effects may be more noticeable at certain times, and chemotherapy can temporarily affect the number of healthy blood cells in your body.
That means the point when you have no hospital appointment is not necessarily the point when your healthcare team would recommend travelling.
If you would like to go away between cycles, ask your cancer team:
- Whether there is a suitable point in your treatment cycle to travel
- Whether your recent blood results affect your plans
- When side effects are most likely to affect you
- Whether your risk of infection is currently increased
- What you should do if you develop a temperature or become unwell while away
- Whether you need to remain within easy reach of specialist medical care
- Whether travelling could interfere with blood tests or your next treatment
This is much safer than trying to identify a universal “best day” after chemotherapy. Treatment schedules and responses differ from person to person.
Travelling after chemotherapy
Finishing chemotherapy can feel like an important milestone.
For some people, booking a holiday is one of the things they have been looking forward to throughout treatment.
But finishing your final chemotherapy session does not necessarily mean that your body has immediately recovered from treatment.
Your energy levels, blood counts and immune system may take time to recover, and some side effects can continue after chemotherapy has finished.
There is no single number of days or weeks that everybody should wait before travelling after chemotherapy.
Speak to your cancer team about when travelling is appropriate for you. They can consider the chemotherapy you have received, your blood results, side effects, recovery and the type of trip you are planning.
Your first holiday after chemotherapy does not have to be the biggest trip you have ever taken. Choosing somewhere and a pace that work for how you feel now can give you more opportunity to enjoy being away.
Planning your trip during or after chemotherapy
A little more preparation can help you feel more confident about travelling.
Before you travel
- Speak to your cancer team: Ask whether your treatment, blood results, side effects or current health create any concerns about the trip you are planning.
- Plan around your chemotherapy: Make sure your holiday does not clash with treatment, blood tests, scans or appointments your team considers important.
- Ask about infection risk: Chemotherapy can weaken your immune system. Find out whether this currently affects you and what precautions your team recommends.
- Know what to do if you become unwell: If your team has told you to seek urgent medical advice for a high temperature or other symptoms, make sure you know how you would get help while away.
- Think about fatigue: Consider the journey as well as the holiday itself. Long airport walks, transfers and busy itineraries can take more energy than you expect.
- Plan for sickness and other side effects: Take prescribed medicines with you and ask your healthcare team what to do if familiar chemotherapy side effects develop while you are away.
- Check travel vaccinations: Chemotherapy can affect which vaccinations are suitable and when they should be given.
- Plan your medication: Make sure you have enough prescribed medication and understand how it should be carried and stored.
- Ask about your PICC or central line: If you will be travelling with a line in place, ask your healthcare team how it needs to be cared for while you are away.
- Consider airport assistance: If fatigue or weakness makes long distances difficult, check what assistance your airline or airport can provide.
- Research healthcare: Know where you could get appropriate medical help at your destination if you needed it.
During your holiday
You may find it helpful to:
- Allow time to rest rather than filling every day
- Keep well hydrated
- Follow the infection precautions recommended by your cancer team
- Take prescribed medication as directed
- Protect your skin from strong sunlight if your treatment has increased sun sensitivity
- Take care of any PICC or central line exactly as your healthcare team has advised
- Keep useful medical information and emergency contacts accessible
- Know where you could obtain medical help
- Keep your travel insurer’s emergency assistance details with you
- Give yourself permission to change your plans if you do not feel up to something
The purpose of planning is not to make chemotherapy the focus of your holiday. It is to make it easier to know what to do if treatment does affect your time away.
Chemotherapy, immunity and infection while travelling
Chemotherapy can reduce the number of white blood cells that help your body fight infection.
This can mean there are periods during treatment when you are more vulnerable to infection. Your individual risk will depend on your chemotherapy, where you are in your treatment cycle and your blood results.
If you are considering travelling during chemotherapy, ask your cancer team about your current risk rather than trying to judge it from how well you feel.
They can advise whether you need to take additional precautions and what you should do if you develop signs of infection while away.
Depending on your circumstances and destination, you may need to think more carefully about food and water, crowded environments and access to medical care.
Read our guide to Immunity and Travel
Chemotherapy, fatigue and your holiday
Fatigue is a common issue during cancer treatment and may continue after treatment has finished.
Cancer-related fatigue can feel different from ordinary tiredness. A night’s sleep may not necessarily make it disappear, and you may find that activities you previously found easy require more energy.
That can make the travel itself just as important to consider as the destination.
Think about whether you could:
- Choose direct journeys rather than multiple connections
- Allow more time to get through the airport
- Arrange airport or airline assistance
- Avoid planning too much for your first day
- Build rest into your itinerary
- Choose accommodation that makes getting around easier
- Leave some days without fixed plans
Read our guide to Cancer Fatigue and Travel
Travelling with a PICC line, central line or port
Some people receiving chemotherapy have a PICC line, central line or port-a-cath.
Having one does not automatically mean that you cannot travel, but you need to understand how it should be looked after while you are away.
PICC and central lines can remain in place for months and require appropriate care to help protect them from infection and damage. Problems can include infection, blockage and blood clots.
Before travelling, ask your chemotherapy team:
- How your line needs to be cared for during your trip
- Whether it will need flushing, dressing changes or other maintenance while you are away
- How to protect it when washing, swimming or taking part in activities
- What supplies you need to take with you
- What signs of infection or other problems you should look out for
- Who you should contact if there is a problem
- Whether you need any supporting medical documentation for your journey
If your line needs professional care while you are away, arrange this before travelling rather than assuming it will be easy to organise once you arrive.
Flying during or after chemotherapy
Having chemotherapy does not automatically mean that you cannot fly.
Whether flying is appropriate will depend on the treatment you are receiving, your current health and any complications.
Chemotherapy can affect blood counts. Anaemia, low platelets and infection risk may all need to be considered depending on your circumstances. Cancer and some treatments can also increase blood clot risk, while sitting still for a long journey can add to that risk.
If you are thinking about flying during chemotherapy or soon after treatment has finished, speak to your cancer team.
Do not rely on a fixed number of days after your last chemotherapy session. Your team can advise you based on your treatment and current health.
Your airline may also have its own requirements about fitness to fly or medical clearance.
Read our guide to Flying After Cancer Treatment
Taking chemotherapy medication abroad
Some chemotherapy is taken as tablets or capsules at home, while you may also have medicines to help manage treatment side effects.
If you need to take prescribed medication abroad, plan ahead.
Make sure you have enough for your whole trip, plus additional supplies where appropriate in case you are delayed. Check how your medicines need to be stored and whether your destination has restrictions on bringing them into the country.
Depending on what you take, you may also need a prescription, doctor’s letter or other supporting documentation.
Do not change when or how you take your chemotherapy simply to fit around your holiday unless your cancer team has advised you to do so.
Read our guide to Taking Cancer Medication Abroad
The Importance of Declaring Your Medical Conditions and Chemotherapy
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
- Chemotherapy you are currently receiving
- Chemotherapy you have recently completed
- Other cancer treatments you are receiving or have received
- Any medication you are taking
- Any ongoing hospital appointments, scans, blood tests or follow-up care
- Any medical conditions or complications that have developed as a result of your cancer or treatment
- 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
