Dad has COPD in addition to BC-foregoing treatment

Again, to be perfectly honest, I don't think it would help and it would be uncomfortable. The usual BCG schedule is one a week for six weeks, then a healing period. If a cystoscopy shows still no cancer BCG maintenance starts which is usually once a week for three weeks and this is done every two or three months for about 2 years. The patient has about a day of "discomfort" (urinary burning, urgency, some bleeding). The point of BCG is to "kick-up" the immune system particularly in the bladder lining to fight off the cancer and as the treatments go on and the immune system reacts the side effects increase and include more of what I described plus fatigue. BCG is a long-term process and would not help your father's current pain issue while causing more discomfort.

So sorry you are going through this. We do it with our parents and our children will be there for us.

Sara Anne

I am very sorry to read about your father’s problems . He is very fortunate to have you looking after him and you are also fortunate to be able to provide this for him. I will give you my honest opinion but remember that we are not doctors here and this is something that you need to also discuss with his doctors.

Since your father is in hospice care for his COPD condition that must mean that his medical care team is of the opinion that he has a life expectancy of about six months. I doubt that BCG would be helpful in such a situation and I’m somewhat surprised that the doctors have suggested this . While the side effects of BCG are nowhere near what can be expected with something like chemotherapy they do exist and I would wonder if there would be any point to this treatment now.

If your father is in pain following the bladder cancer surgery hospice should be able and willing to provide medication which would make him more comfortable . Most hospices are wonderful organizations and personally I don’t know what we would’ve done without them for both my mother and my father . Hospice made their final days a precious experience for both my parents and our family members .

Sara Anne