My lovely Dad was in pain when having a wee, so he went to the GP and was referred for tests. He underwent a camera procedure on Aug 22nd and we were all expecting to hear he had some age related illness (he is just 75 but looks 50!). To our horror we were told he had a tumour which looked to be bladder/bowel connected. We were in shock. Dad had an MRI scan which told us it was a bladder cancer and there was no bowel connection. We were relieved there was only one organ involved. In Oct Dad had an op to remove the tumour however when speaking to the surgeon post op he contridicted the MRI and said there was a definate bladder/bowel issue. Early Nov we meet with the Uroglogist who confirmed that Dad didn't have bladder cancer but bowel cancer. We were surprised and very confused as the MRI scan confirmed no bowel cancer. Yesterday they put a camera in the bowel only to confirm there is no cancer there. We were all totally confused and flustrated that the information we had received had been contridicatory and my Dad still hadn't started any treatment.
After the camera we met with the colorectal surgeon only to be told my Dad had cancer of his belly button!! We were shocked and thought the date was April 1st. The confusion has arisen as the cancer confuses as it `pretends` to be a bowel cancer when its not.
The surgeon then went on to advise us that this is a very rare cancer that occurs in the top of the urinary bladder. The urachus is a tube which joins the belly button to the top of the bladder. After birth, this tube gradually disappears and the amount remaining varies from person to person. This has not disappeared in my Dad's case and has turned nasty. They advised that this is a very serious condition and we are devastated.
We have now been referred back to the urgologist and are unsure what comes next. Mum and Dad don't ask what the future holds and I can't as they don't want to face the answer.
Has anyone come across this type of cancer before? I would really welcome any comments as we, the family, are totally devestated and wants whats best for my lovely Dad.
