[Adam]

My 67yr old father has been diagnosed with Bladder Cancer. After extensive bladder scrapings and biopsies, they've concluded it's Stage 3 and into the muscle wall of his bladder.

He's been given two options:

1) Chemotherapy, 3-monthly bladder scrapings and radiation therapy, however he's been told the the survivability isn't great and to expect around 3-5yrs.

2) Have the entire bladder, prostate and lymph nodes removed, take on a bag. Major surgery, approx 7hrs worth. He's been told to expect a 95% survival chance. This at first sounded alarming, but while Dad's attitude towards all of this has been amazing, I'm concerned that there may be an underlying psychological effect. I know how I'd feel... Anyway, we read up on Neobladders (an artificial bladder, constructed out of the patient's own small intestine and carried internally, voiding thru the usual channel) and so he asked the surgeons about it, who seemed mystified.

It turns out that "Neobladder/Urinary Diversion" isn't a very common procedure in Australia. So, Dad's chosen to take Option 2 and they've scheduled him in for surgery on May 22. He's upbeat about it and pragmatic about the prospect of dealing with a bag.

In the meantime, the surgeons in turn have researched it themselves. They believe he's a good candidate for the surgery and are now keen to attempt it, given Dad's circumstances (relative health, attitude etc). As it's uncommon here, there are apparently quite a few notable local surgeons keen to get involved - heads of department, various hospitals and universities. This worries me a little, as there are surely both pros and cons involved with being an experimental guinea pig.

Can I ask: how common is it in the USA and is it generally successful?