• Check with your specialist team that any travel plans will not affect your medical treatment.
• Consider how you are feeling when planning travel.
• If you are travelling abroad and taking any medicines, check with your doctor to see if you need to take a letter with you and/or whether you need to apply for a home office export licence. You should also check with the embassy of your destination to see whether there are any restrictions on medicines you can take into the country.
• Make sure you have enough medicine to last your entire trip plus some spare to cover any unexpected delays.
• Carry one set of medicines in your hand luggage and one set in your suitcase so that if one goes missing you still have the other.
• Check whether you need any vaccinations.
• If you have urinary problems and use pads, make sure you pack enough for your trip plus some extra in case of delays.
• If you have a catheter, make sure you have enough equipment for the length of your trip.
• Make any special arrangements (for example, a wheelchair) before you travel.
• Carry information about your medical condition, medicines and treatments, in case you need any unexpected healthcare.
• If you have had brachytherapy, ask your specialist team to give you an advice card which states you have had treatment with internal radiation.
• Buy travel insurance if you are travelling abroad. If you are travelling to a European Economic Area (EEA) or Switzerland, you will also need to apply for a European Health Insurance Card (EHIC).

You can read more about preparing for your trip in our fact sheet, Travel and prostate cancer.

You will need one of these if you are travelling to a European Economic Area (EEA) or Switzerland. It replaces the old E111 form. It entitles you to emergency medical treatment in most European countries for free or at a reduced cost. You may have to pay for some things at the time but you can usually claim the money back later. The EHIC does not always cover the full cost of treatment and does not cover everything. For example, it does not cover ambulance services or the cost of bringing you and your travelling companions back to the UK. So it is important to have separate travel insurance as well.

You can apply for an EHIC online, or you can call 0845 6062030 or pick up an application form from the post office. You can read more about travelling in the EEA in the Department of Health booklet called Health Advice for Travellers. You can get a copy of the booklet from most post offices, or by calling 08701 555 455. You can also download a copy from the Department of Health website.

Travel insurance can cover the cost if things go wrong while you are away, for example, losing your suitcase or having to cancel your holiday. It also helps to cover the cost of any medical treatment you have to pay for while you are away. If you are travelling to Europe and have an EHIC, you should still arrange travel insurance because the EHIC does not always cover the full cost of treatment. Some insurance companies will only provide insurance if you have an EHIC. If you are travelling within the UK and you are a UK citizen, you are entitled to free medical treatment at your nearest hospital.

Some men have told us that they find it harder to get travel insurance because of their prostate cancer diagnosis. There are three main ways to buy travel insurance:

High street travel insurance companies

Some companies will not insure you if you have been diagnosed with cancer. Other companies will insure you if you can provide a letter from your doctor saying you are fit enough to travel, or if you meet specific criteria, for example, if your treatment finished a certain length of time ago. Some companies will only cover you for treatment or emergencies unrelated to your cancer.

Specialist companies

There are some companies who specialise in providing travel insurance to people with pre-existing medical conditions, including cancer. Some may be much more expensive than high street companies, but others are more reasonable. Check whether the policy includes treatment related to your cancer.

Macmillan Cancer Support provides a list of companies that may be useful. You can find this list in their fact sheet on travel insurance, which you can access online. You can also order a copy of the fact sheet by calling 0800 500 800. It is possible that one or more of the companies listed will no longer be providing cover at the time you call. You may like to check with other companies as well.

Insurance brokers

These are people who can provide advice and arrange travel insurance for you. They shop around to find the best deal for you, but they do charge a service fee. You can find a list of brokers who specialise in finding insurance for people with cancer on The British Insurers Brokers Association (BIBA) website, or you can call BIBA on 0870 950 1790.

You can read more about buying travel insurance, including questions insurance companies might ask you and questions you should ask them, in our fact sheet, Travel and prostate cancer.

The amount you pay (the premium) is likely to be higher than if you had not been diagnosed with prostate cancer. The amount you have to pay when you make a claim (the excess) may also be higher. If you are currently having treatment, have finished treatment quite recently, or have advanced or recurrent disease, the cost is likely to be higher than if you finished treatment a while ago and/or your cancer is under control. In general, prices go down the longer your cancer has been under control. Your premium may be less if you choose a policy that does not cover you for treatment related to your cancer. This might be an option if you feel your cancer is unlikely to cause any problems while you are away, but some people feel this is too much of a risk to take.

• If you are travelling abroad, you may want to continue taking any medicines at the same times you normally do (UK time), or it may be easier to gradually adjust when you take your medicines to fit in with local time.
• If you are going on a long haul flight, you may need to take precautions to prevent blood clots, called deep vein thrombosis (DVT). Exercise your legs during the flight, drink plenty of water and other non-alcoholic drinks, and wear compression socks if your doctor advises you to.
• Protect yourself from the harmful effects of the sun by avoiding direct sunlight between 11am and 3pm, and by using a high factor sunscreen (around SPF30). Wear loose cotton clothing as well as a hat and sunglasses. It is particularly important to protect yourself in the sun if you have had radiotherapy.
• You should be careful about preventing infection, particularly if treatment has affected your immune system. Food and drink in some countries may contain harmful bacteria, so make sure you drink clean water (boil it first if you are unsure) and eat properly cooked food. Avoid ice in drinks and salads. Your doctor may prescribe you a course of antibiotics to prevent infection during your trip. Your doctor may also give you medicine to prevent you from becoming dehydrated.
• Use an insect repellent if you are travelling to an area where insects are a problem.
• Always carry emergency contact details so that someone can be informed of any problems quickly.

• Look at the cost of travel insurance before you book your trip. Some destinations are more expensive than others.
• Get quotes from several different insurance companies or brokers, as cost can vary greatly.
• Get quotes from high street companies as well as specialist companies, particularly if you are no longer having treatment and your cancer is under control.
• Check the small print - ask insurance companies exactly what you are covered for, and what you are not covered for.
• If your cancer is unlikely to cause you problems while you are away, you could consider a policy that covers everything except treatment related to your cancer.
• Make sure you mention your prostate cancer and any other medical problems. If you do not tell your insurance company about any medical condition you have or have had, they may not pay for medical treatment or the costs to get you home if you have problems while you are away.

You can find a list of the sources of information used to produce this page in our online fact sheet.