Having immunotherapy can change the way you think about travelling.
Alongside deciding where to go, you may now be thinking about treatment appointments, side effects, medication and what you would need to do if you became unwell while you were away.
But having immunotherapy does not necessarily mean that travel has to be put on hold.
You may be hoping to get away between treatments, planning a holiday while having longer-term immunotherapy, or thinking about your first trip after treatment has finished.
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 immunotherapy can bring up questions you may never have needed to consider before. Can you go abroad between treatments? What happens if you develop a new symptom while you are away? Can side effects appear after immunotherapy has finished? Can you fly during treatment? Do you still need to tell your travel insurer about immunotherapy once treatment has ended?
There is not one answer that applies to everybody. The immunotherapy you are receiving, how you are responding to it, any other treatment you have had and your current health all matter.
That is why we have brought together some of the practical considerations that may help you prepare for your trip with greater confidence.
Can you get travel insurance during immunotherapy?
In many cases, travel insurance may be available while you are receiving immunotherapy or after treatment has finished.
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.
Someone receiving immunotherapy regularly over a longer period, for example, may have very different circumstances from somebody who completed treatment several months ago but is still having follow-up care.
The side effects you have experienced and any ongoing treatment may also form part of your medical circumstances.
It is important to answer the medical screening questions accurately so you can be confident you have declared the information we need.
Understanding immunotherapy and Your Travel Insurance
Immunotherapy is a type of cancer treatment that works with the immune system to help it recognise and attack cancer cells.
There are different types of immunotherapies. One widely used group is called checkpoint inhibitors, which work by removing signals that can prevent the immune system from attacking cancer cells.
Immunotherapy can be used to treat several types of cancer and may be given on its own or alongside other treatments.
Treatment schedules vary. Some people receive immunotherapy through a drip at regular appointments, while certain treatments may be given in other ways. Some people continue treatment for many months.
Immunotherapy side effects can also be different from those associated with treatments such as chemotherapy.
Because some immunotherapies make the immune system more active, the immune system can sometimes begin attacking healthy tissue as well as cancer cells. This can cause inflammation in different parts of the body.
For travel insurance, it is your individual circumstances that matter.
When you get a quote, we may ask about your cancer diagnosis, immunotherapy you are receiving or have received, other cancer treatments, 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 immunotherapy
Some people may be able to travel while receiving immunotherapy, depending on their treatment schedule, current health, side effects and advice from their cancer team.
Immunotherapy can sometimes continue over a longer period, which means waiting until treatment is completely finished before travelling may not always be practical or necessary.
The important thing is to discuss your plans with the healthcare team managing your treatment.
Tell them where you want to go, how long you plan to be away and how your trip fits around your treatment appointments.
They can help you understand whether travelling is appropriate and whether your treatment or any previous side effects create additional considerations.
Do not delay, change or miss immunotherapy simply to fit around a holiday unless this has been agreed with your cancer team.
Travelling between immunotherapy treatments
If your immunotherapy is given at regular intervals, you may be thinking about travelling between appointments.
This may be possible for some people, but the gap between treatments is not the only thing to consider.
Immune-related side effects can sometimes develop unexpectedly and may need prompt assessment and treatment.
Before booking, ask your cancer team:
- Whether your treatment schedule leaves enough time for the proposed trip
- Whether you have had side effects that could affect travelling
- What symptoms they particularly want you to watch for
- What you should do if you develop a new symptom while abroad
- Whether you need to stay within easy reach of specialist medical care
- Whether blood tests, scans or other monitoring are due during your trip
- Who you should contact if you become unwell while away
Having this information before you leave can make it much easier to know what to do if something changes during your holiday.
Travelling after immunotherapy
Finishing immunotherapy can be an important milestone, and a holiday may be one of the things you have been looking forward to.
One thing to be aware of with immunotherapy is that some immune-related side effects can begin after treatment has finished. This does not mean that everybody who has finished immunotherapy needs to avoid travelling.
It does mean that you should continue following the advice given by your cancer team and take new or worsening symptoms seriously, even if your last treatment was some time ago.
There is no single waiting period after immunotherapy that will be right for everybody.
Speak to your healthcare team about your travel plans, particularly if you have only recently finished treatment, have experienced immune-related side effects or are still being monitored closely.
Planning your trip during or after immunotherapy
Good preparation can be particularly useful when travelling during or after immunotherapy because you need to know what to do if a new symptom develops.
Before you travel
- Speak to your cancer team: Tell them where you are travelling, how long you will be away and how the trip fits around your treatment.
- Plan around appointments: Make sure your holiday does not clash with immunotherapy, blood tests, scans or follow-up appointments your team considers important.
- Know who to contact: Save your cancer team’s contact number in your phone and keep a written copy somewhere accessible.
- Carry treatment information: If you have been given an immunotherapy alert card or other treatment information, take it with you and show it to healthcare professionals if you become unwell.
- Think about fatigue: Immunotherapy can cause tiredness, so consider how demanding your journey and itinerary will be.
- Ask about vaccinations: Some types of immunotherapy can affect which vaccinations are appropriate for you.
- Plan your medication: Make sure you have enough prescribed medication for your trip and understand how it should be carried and stored.
- Research healthcare: Know where you could obtain appropriate medical care if you became unwell.
- Consider airport assistance: If fatigue, weakness or another side effect could make a busy airport difficult, check what assistance is available.
During your holiday
You may find it helpful to:
- Pay attention to new or changing symptoms
- Follow your cancer team’s instructions about when to seek medical advice
- Build rest into your itinerary
- Take prescribed medication as directed
- Protect your skin from strong sunlight
- Know where you could obtain medical help locally
- Keep your travel insurer’s emergency assistance details somewhere easily accessible
- Leave some flexibility in your plans in case you feel unwell
The aim is not to spend your holiday worrying about every possible side effect. Knowing what your cancer team wants you to look out for can make it easier to act appropriately if something does change.
Immunotherapy side effects and travelling
Immune-related side effects are an important consideration when travelling during or after some types of immunotherapy.
Checkpoint inhibitors can make the immune system more active. In some people, this can cause inflammation in healthy parts of the body.
Immune-related side effects can affect different organs and systems, including the:
- Skin, Bowel, Lungs, Liver, Hormone-producing glands, Kidneys, Joints, Nervous system
Not everybody will experience these effects, and the symptoms can differ depending on the immunotherapy being used.
Some symptoms may appear mild at first but can become more serious if they are not assessed and treated promptly.
For that reason, your cancer team should be your main source of advice about which symptoms matter for your treatment and when you need to contact them.
Before travelling, make sure you understand:
- Which symptoms your team wants you to report
- Whether you should contact them even if you are abroad
- When you should seek urgent medical help locally
- What treatment information you should show another healthcare professional
Do not try to diagnose or manage a possible immune-related side effect yourself while travelling.
Delayed immunotherapy side effects after treatment
One of the most important things to understand about immunotherapy is that side effects do not always stop being a possibility when treatment ends.
Some immune-related effects can begin weeks or months afterwards, and Macmillan notes that some can occasionally begin more than a year after treatment has finished.
That makes it particularly important to keep any immunotherapy information or alert card your healthcare team has given you.
If you develop a new symptom while travelling after immunotherapy, tell the healthcare professional treating you that you have previously received immunotherapy.
Follow the advice your cancer team has given you about which symptoms need urgent assessment and how to contact them.
If you are planning a longer or more remote trip after treatment, it is worth discussing access to healthcare at your destination with your cancer team before booking.
Immunotherapy, immunity and infection
Immunotherapy affects the immune system, but that does not mean every immunotherapy weakens immunity in exactly the same way.
Some cancer treatments, including certain immunotherapies, can increase the risk of infection. Your individual risk will depend on the drug you are receiving, other treatments you have had and your current health.
You may also need medicines such as steroids or other immunosuppressive treatments if an immune-related side effect develops, which can affect your immune system in a different way.
Speak to your cancer team about whether infection risk should influence your destination or travel plans.
Flying during or after immunotherapy
Having immunotherapy does not automatically mean that you cannot fly.
Whether flying is appropriate will depend on your cancer, treatment, side effects and current health.
For example, if immunotherapy has affected your lungs, caused significant fatigue or led to another complication, this may need to be considered before flying.
If you are planning to fly during treatment or soon after treatment has finished, speak to your cancer team.
They can advise you based on your individual circumstances and any immune-related side effects you have experienced.
Your airline may also have its own requirements regarding fitness to fly or medical clearance.
Read our guide to Flying during and After Cancer Treatment
Taking medication abroad during immunotherapy
You may need other medicines alongside immunotherapy, either as part of your cancer treatment or to manage side effects.
Some people who develop immune-related side effects may also need treatment such as steroids.
If you are travelling with prescribed medication:
- Take enough for your whole trip, plus additional supplies where appropriate
- Keep essential medication in your hand luggage
- Check how it needs to be stored
- Check the rules for taking it into your destination
- Carry supporting documentation where appropriate
- Continue taking it as prescribed
Do not reduce or stop medication used to manage immunotherapy side effects simply because you are travelling unless your healthcare team has told you to do so.
The Importance of Declaring Your Medical Conditions and Immunotherapy
Having travel insurance that reflects your individual health is an important part of travelling with confidence.
When arranging your travel insurance, it is important to tell us about:
- Your cancer diagnosis
- Immunotherapy you are currently receiving
- Immunotherapy you have recently completed
- Other cancer treatment you are receiving or have received
- Any medication you are taking
- Any immune-related side effects or other complications you have experienced
- Any ongoing hospital appointments, blood tests, scans or follow-up care
- 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
