Karen,
I know that you addressed your question to Wendy, but meanwhile, I hope you don't mind me jumping in with my opinion again...
Having gone through BCG myself, I can't help but feel a little emotional about the idea of inflicting this
possibly harsh treatment on your father, not to mention the hardship on your Mother, when it might not be of benefit. I like the idea of having faith in our doctors, but in this instance, I really think you might want a second opinion...
I personally had a strong and radical response to BCG. At the very least, your father will probably suffer the discomfort of extreme burning on urination (like voiding razor blades) and possibly mild, flu like symptoms.
I tried getting a definitive answer from the FAQ section of Dr. Lamms' website.
The search result that I got does not fit your father's situation exactly, but it does support Wendy's information concerning effectiveness of BCG treatments in patients over the age of 80.
If you E Mail Dr. Lamm with a question about this, he will reply. He is very kind and an expert in the field of Bladder Cancer and BCG treatments.
My dad, 86 years old and in good health, was diagnosed two weeks ago with bladder cancer, stage T2a. What treatment options are available for my dad, keeping in mind his age and good physical conditions? Thanks
Age certainly does become a major consideration when selecting treatment for someone aged 86..... Unfortunately, BCG has been recently found to be much less effective in patients over the age of 80 ...
Here is Dr. Lamm's website opened to the page where you may pose your question...
www.bcgoncology.com/drlamm/askdrlamm.html
Best regards,
Rosemary