Temozolomide and Radiation Therapy in Treating Patients With Brain Metastasis Secondary to Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer

RATIONALE: Radiation therapy uses high-energy x-rays to damage tumor cells. Drugs such as temozolomide may make the tumor cells more sensitive to radiation therapy. Combining temozolomide with radiation therapy may kill more tumor cells. PURPOSE: This phase II trial is studying how well giving temozolomide together with whole-brain radiation therapy works in treating patients with brain metastasis secondary to non-small cell lung cancer.

OBJECTIVES: Primary * Determine the intracranial response rate in patients with brain metastasis secondary to non-small cell lung cancer treated with whole brain radiotherapy and temozolomide. Secondary * Determine the time to radiological progression in patients treated with this regimen. * Determine the time to neurological progression (confirmed by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)) in patients treated with this regimen. * Determine the overall survival of patients treated with this regimen. * Determine the toxicity of this regimen in these patients. OUTLINE: This is a multicenter study. Patients undergo whole brain radiotherapy once daily, 5 days a week, for 2 weeks (10 fractions). Patients also receive concurrent oral temozolomide once daily on days 1-14. Beginning 3 weeks after the completion of chemoradiotherapy, patients receive oral temozolomide once daily on days 1-5. Treatment repeats every 28 days for up to 6 courses in the absence of neurologic (Central Nervous System, CNS) progression or unacceptable toxicity. Patients were followed every 3 months for 2 years. ACCRUAL: A total of 26 patients were accrued for this study.