Traveling Safely With Cancer: Tips & Precautions
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A trip or vacation with family and friends can be a great way to take your mind off the events surrounding your cancer diagnosis and treatment. But when faced with the need to travel, whether it’s for a vacation, business purposes, or to get treatments, it’s natural for people with cancer to wonder if it would be unsafe.
“It’s generally safe to travel with cancer, even on longer [more than five-hour] flights,” says Jeffrey Velotta, MD, a cardiothoracic surgeon with extensive expertise in pleural mesothelioma and lung cancer.
Still, it’s important to know when you shouldn’t travel with your condition, what and how to prepare to travel safely, and what you can do to reduce the stress and cost of traveling.
When Not to Travel With Cancer
While it is generally considered safe for people with cancer to travel, there are times when you should cancel your plans and stay home. “The caveats are that if you had a major cancer surgery within four to six weeks, or if you are actively undergoing chemotherapy and have had an infusion within one week, you shouldn’t travel, because of possible feelings of dehydration, nausea or vomiting, or severe fatigue,” says Dr. Velotta, adding that being on longer flights can worsen these symptoms.
Notably, there are no established regulations or criteria to deem a person with cancer unfit to travel. But, according to a review article published in the Journal of Global Oncology, people who are receiving intensive radiation or systemic cancer treatments, those whose cancer requires close monitoring by healthcare professionals, or those with stage 4 cancer should not travel on commercial airlines.
Possible Dangers of Traveling With Cancer
It’s important to be aware of the potential risks when traveling with cancer.
- The stress from being on a flight or on the road for a long time may worsen your symptoms or have negative impacts on your overall health.
- It may be difficult to get medical care or emergency medical intervention while in transit.
- You may experience reduced oxygen delivery on a flight if you are an older adult, have low levels of healthy red blood cells (anemia), or have an existing cardiopulmonary disease such as bronchitis (inflammation of the lung airways) or polycythemia (a blood disorder where you have too many red blood cells).
- Your risk of venous thromboembolism (VTE), which is a blood clot that forms in the veins, may be higher if you have cancer and are traveling for over eight hours.
- People with cancer who travel by air may experience pleural effusion (fluid in the lungs) or pain.
- If you had a brain tumor and underwent a recent neurosurgery, you may be at risk of increased pressure within your skull when you travel at a high altitude.
And there is another potential danger of traveling with cancer: “You are potentially at a higher risk of contracting COVID-19 and other upper respiratory infections or viruses,” Velotta points out, suggesting that you should avoid traveling or delay your flight if you feel sick.
Should You Inform Anyone About Your Condition?
Before traveling, there are some key people you should consider speaking with or informing about your condition.
“If you’re dealing with cancer and planning a trip, talk to your healthcare team. Your provider can confirm whether it’s safe to travel and offer tips on managing things while you’re away,” says Sean Marchese, RN, a nurse at the Mesothelioma Center, an advocacy organization in Orlando, Florida, with a background in oncology clinical trials and over 20 years of patient-care experience.
Your doctor can arrange for the medications you will need to take with you and determine whether you will need a medical alert letter or special documentation for your medication. For instance, this might be necessary if you are taking a synthetic opioid like methadone for cancer-related pain.
You can get advice from your other healthcare team members, like the nurse and patient navigator, about the following:
- Where and how to buy travel health insurance
- How to cope with symptoms and medication side effects when you are away from home
- Other essentials you will need to take with you on the trip
While it’s not obligatory, some people may want to inform their flight attendants and seatmates about their medical condition. “It’s wise to tell the flight crew about your health, especially if you anticipate needing help. Communicating your needs keeps everyone in the loop in case of an emergency,” Marchese says.
Prepare for Your Trip
Here are some tips to help you plan and prepare for a safe trip.
- Notify your healthcare team ahead of time about your travel plans. If you are undergoing treatment, they can arrange a break or change the treatment dates.
- Pack your prescribed medications and take them as directed before and during the flight.
- Consider speaking with the travel company you will be using so they can provide you with any needed support, such as a wheelchair.
- Arrange to get travel insurance, in case you need it.
- If you had surgery, speak to your doctor about any extra supplies you need to carry with you.
- Carry your face mask, alcohol-based hand-sanitizing gel, and sunscreen with you.
- Wear compression socks to improve blood flow and reduce leg swelling during the trip.
- If your cancer is causing you bowel or bladder problems, consider getting a “Just Can’t Wait” toilet card or booking an aisle seat close to the lavatory. You can also download a toilet app on your phone to help you find public restrooms when you arrive at your destination.
- Pack healthy snacks like sliced apples and peanut butter, whole-grain crackers, and nuts. Make healthy food choices even when you get to your destination.
- Plan to stay active. If you are on a long road trip, use rest-stop breaks to stretch and take a short walk. For plane trips, you can explore the airport while waiting for a connecting flight or try simple inflight exercises (for example: pull each knee up toward the chest and hold it there with your hands for 15 seconds, and repeat).
- Drink enough water, and avoid consuming excess alcohol or caffeinated drinks during your trip.
For more travel health information, speak to a travel health specialist or visit the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention for information on diseases that are of concern at your destination and vaccines that may be recommended for you.
Medical Travel Agencies and Travel Health Specialists
In the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, it has become particularly risky for people with medical conditions like cancer to travel through public transport systems. This is because cancer and its treatments can suppress the immune system, making it harder for the body to fight off infections.
For people with cancer who are in critical condition or are receiving treatment, it may be helpful to seek the services of healthcare travel agencies that can connect them with affiliated hospitals at their destinations and provide medical air services or medically equipped buses. Such planes or buses may be outfitted with intensive care facilities, medications, and even trained medical personnel. You can visit the International Medical Travel Journal’s directory and search for medical travel agencies around your location that offer such services.
Another option is to consult a travel health specialist before you go. In collaboration with your oncology team, a travel health specialist can advise you on how best to protect yourself from illnesses transmitted by insects or parasites such as ticks and mosquitoes, depending on the region you’re traveling to and the time of year. They can also recommend vaccines you should get. “Vaccines depend on where you’re going. Many places require flu and pneumonia shots, but it varies,” says Marchese.
“Generally speaking, lung cancer or cancer spread to the lungs will have a higher risk of worse upper respiratory symptoms or pneumonias,” adds Velotta. So, if you have this type of cancer, you need to ensure your boosters for COVID-19 are up-to-date.
Traveling with cancer can come with additional costs that some families may not be able to afford. Speak with your medical team, a patient navigator, or a social worker to learn about resources that can help with the cost of transportation, food, lodging, and other needs.
If you are traveling to get medical treatment, check out the American Cancer Society’s list of programs and resources for help with cancer-related expenses.
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