Radiation Therapy in Treating Patients With Newly Diagnosed Brain Metastases From Kidney Cancer, Melanoma, or Sarcoma

Inclusion Criteria

• •DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS:
• •Histologically confirmed renal cell carcinoma, melanoma, or sarcoma with 1-3 newly diagnosed intraparenchymal brain metastases based on contrast-enhanced MRI (CT scan acceptable if patients have a medical contraindication to MRI)
• •No lesion greater than 4.0 cm in diameter and, if multiple lesions are present, no more than one greater than 3.0 cm in diameter
• •No limitation on the extent of extracranial metastatic disease
• •No metastases in the brain stem, midbrain, pons, or medulla
• •No leptomeningeal metastases documented by MRI or CSF evaluation
• •No metastases within 10 mm of optic nerve or chiasm
• •No history of multiple liver metastases
• •PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS:
• •Age:
• •18 and over
• •Performance status:
• •ECOG 0-2
• •Life expectancy:
• •At least 3 months
• •Hematopoietic:
• •Absolute neutrophil count greater than 1,000/mm\^3
• •Platelet count greater than 50,000/mm\^3
• •Hemoglobin greater than 8 g/dL
• •Hepatic:
• •Not specified
• •Renal:
• •Not specified
• •Other:
• •No major medical illness
• •No psychoses
• •Not pregnant or nursing
• •Fertile patients must use effective contraception
• •PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY:
• •Biologic therapy:
• •Not specified
• •Chemotherapy:
• •Prior chemotherapy allowed
• •Systemic chemotherapy may be continued at the discretion of investigator after completion of radiosurgery
• •Endocrine therapy:
• •Not specified
• •Radiotherapy:
• •No prior cranial radiotherapy
• •Prior or concurrent radiotherapy to noncranial sites allowed
• •Surgery:
• •No prior surgical resection for brain metastases
• •Prior stereotactic biopsy for diagnostic purposes allowed