Melatonin and Radiation Therapy in Treating Patients With Brain Metastases

OBJECTIVES: * Determine the effect of melatonin, used as radiosensitization/radioprotection, on overall survival and clinical deterioration in patients with brain metastases who are undergoing radiotherapy. OUTLINE: This is a randomized, multicenter study. Patients are stratified according to planned chemotherapy after whole brain irradiation (yes vs no). Patients are randomized to 1 of 2 treatment arms. * Arm I: Patients undergo whole brain irradiation once daily 5 days a week for 2 weeks. Patients receive oral melatonin once daily every morning. * Arm II: Patients undergo whole brain irradiation as in arm I. Patients receive oral melatonin once daily every evening. All patients continue on melatonin for 6 months in the absence of disease progression or unacceptable toxicity. Patients are followed at months 6 and 12 from start of radiotherapy and then every 6 months thereafter. PROJECTED ACCRUAL: A total of 128 patients (64 per treatment arm) will be accrued for this study within 5 months.