Yes, they normally remove the belly button in the UK too, but I was not treated in a specialist urachal cancer unit - just a normal urology unit - and I guess that they did not positively identify the tumour as urachal until the histology report was received. I was then told it was a urachal mucinous adenocarcinoma and that my chances of surviving more than a few months were slim. But this prognosis has proved wrong. I am still here, 19 months later, physically fit and planning my skiing holiday in January.
I have now been referred to a specialist PMP unit (appendix, bowel and urachal cancers) at another hospital, and the surgeons there normally remove the urachus, the belly buttion, spleen and gall bladder - and often the whole bladder too. But when they examined me 3 months post-op they decided that no further treatment or surgery was needed as I appeared to be fit and well.
So far - fingers crossed - 19 months post op I have no indications of a recurrence of the cancer and the remaining slivers of mucous in my abdoment are shrinking and disappearing. I am currently in remission.