Introduction
Flood frequency has been increasing globally due to climate change.1 When flood water submerges residential districts, it is affected by sewage and can easily cause skin infections in the affected population.2 When considering populations vulnerable to skin infections following flooding, the risk may be higher in post-surgery cancer patients than the general population because the immune systems of cancer patients are suppressed3 and they are particularly compromised after chemotherapy, radiotherapy, or surgery.2Incisional wounds are especially susceptible to surgical site infections. However, little information is available concerning measures to prevent such infections among these populations following floods.
Typhoon Hagibis, which occurred on October 6, 2019 and landed on Japan’s main island on October 12, 2029, killed approximately one hundred citizens and caused various other injuries.4 These damages occurred although typhoon warnings had been repeatedly disseminated in various media outlets beforehand. This typhoon was a Category 5 (the highest according to the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Wind Scale) and was one of few severe disasters that required government support in its recovery. Given this context, we present a post-operative breast cancer patient who was affected by flood water caused by Typhoon Hagibis in order to plan specific measures to ensure the safety of cancer patients from flood damage in the future.