There’s a lot to consider when traveling with an NSCLC diagnosis, and much of it depends on your specific situation. Here’s how to think it through.

Symptoms, disease effects, and treatment associated with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) can pose unique challenges when it comes to navigating travel plans. While it’s usually still possible to travel with NSCLC, there are some things you and your healthcare team may want to consider before deciding if it is safe.

Read on to learn about some of the unique considerations for traveling with NSCLC.

Some people with NSCLC may undergo surgery to remove cancer cells from the lungs, lymph nodes, or other organs. In general, waiting 1 to 2 weeks after surgery is recommended before traveling on an airplane.

If bowel obstruction or other gastrointestinal complications occur after surgery, you may need to wait longer — about 7 to 10 days after symptoms resolve.

Flying immediately after surgery is generally not advisable because air might become trapped in the body during the surgical procedure. This air can expand during flight, leading to discomfort or potential injury.

The likelihood of this happening may be lower for people who undergo laparoscopic surgery, but your doctor or surgeon can help you better understand the risk if air travel is critical for you postsurgery.

An estimated 1 in 5 people with lung cancer develop brain metastases. One study found that among people with NSCLC with oligometastatic disease (i.e., the limited spread of the disease beyond the lungs), 44% had brain involvement.

Research on the effects of air travel on brain tumors is limited and there are no official recommendations, but there are still considerations to keep in mind.

Experts think that most people with brain metastases can probably travel safely. Reduced oxygen levels at high altitudes could lower the seizure threshold in people who are already prone to seizures, though, particularly those in which oxygen delivery is already reduced. This includes:

  • older adults
  • people with anemia
  • people with significant heart and lung disease

In a 2021 study (the most recent available) of more than 17,000 people with brain metastases with various cancer types, approximately 10% developed seizures.

The risk of seizures can be mitigated with medications and avoidance of potential triggers. You’ll want to try to avoid certain behaviors or effects that lower the seizure threshold, such as:

  • fatigue
  • delayed meals
  • alcohol intake
  • disruption of the circadian rhythm

People with brain metastases who travel via air or visit areas of high altitude should discuss the risks with their healthcare team and determine if any action is needed to reduce the likelihood of complications.

Some people with NSCLC will require oxygen therapy to help them breathe. Oxygen therapy requires users to carry or pull an oxygen system, which can make travel more complicated, but not impossible.

Before using any form of public transportation, be sure to clarify any requirements or restrictions related to oxygen tanks. Only certain types of oxygen systems can be used on airplanes, for instance. Airlines and cruise lines may require paperwork to travel with an oxygen system, and even bus or train lines may have specific requirements.

Be sure to contact the company you will be traveling with ahead of time to ensure you have the proper paperwork completed and have everything you need in place to travel.

People with high oxygen requirements (more than 4 L per minute) may also experience breathing complications due to air pressure changes during flights, and it may be recommended that they avoid air travel.

Cancer treatment or the disease itself can affect the way your body produces blood cells. Approximately one-third of people with lung cancer experience anemia (low red blood cell counts), with rates increasing to about 80% in people receiving chemotherapy.

Anemia can affect the way oxygen is carried throughout the body, leading to potentially serious complications in low oxygen environments — such as on airplanes.

It’s generally recommended that hemoglobin levels be above 8.5 g per dL to fly, though lower levels may be possible if you’re using oxygen therapy.

Lung cancer and treatment can also affect platelet counts, which can increase the likelihood of serious bleeds.

Before air travel, be sure to check your blood counts and discuss with your doctor if there are any concerns about traveling based on your numbers.

NSCLC and its treatment can have a variety of other health effects that can complicate travel or make it unsafe. Be sure to discuss any travel plans with your doctor if you’ve recently experienced:

  • pleural effusions (fluid buildup in the chest)
  • pulmonary embolism
  • deep vein thrombosis (DVT)

When traveling with a serious health condition like NSCLC, it’s important to take additional precautions when traveling.

Be sure to have an adequate supply of all medications you may need during your travels, including both anticancer medications and any supportive medications you may need to manage symptoms or side effects. If your medications need to be taken at certain times of day, it can help to plan your schedule around those windows.

People with cancer often have weakened immune systems due to their disease and treatment, so it’s also important to ensure you’re up to date on all vaccinations. Some travel-related vaccines may require multiple rounds of boosters, so be sure to plan ahead if this is the case.

Before traveling, check with your health insurance company to determine coverage where you’re traveling, just in case. You may need to purchase travel health insurance to ensure your coverage is not disrupted.

Also, consider your physical limitations. Traveling often requires extensive walking or carrying bags — both of which may be challenging for some people with NSCLC. Accommodations are usually possible to help support you during your travels, but you’ll want to contact your travel partners ahead of time to make these requests.

There are many considerations to weigh before traveling with NSCLC, including both health and logistical concerns.

Most people can travel safely despite their disease, and support is available to help navigate many potential concerns or risks. In some cases, though, alternative options should be considered, or you may need to skip traveling until a later time.

Your healthcare team can help you assess the potential risks of traveling based on your individual condition and health status. Before traveling, be sure to discuss with them if and how to travel safely with your NSCLC.