Stereotactic Radiation Therapy With or Without Whole-Brain Radiation Therapy in Treating Patients With Brain Metastases

You may be eligible if

• DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS:
• Diagnosis of cerebral metastases meeting the following criteria:
• * One to three presumed brain metastases
• * Metastases must be from a histologically confirmed extracerebral site (e.g., lung, breast, prostate)
• * Histologic confirmation may have been from the primary tumor site, from another metastatic site (e.g., osseous metastasis, adrenal metastasis), or from the metastatic brain lesion(s)
• * Each lesion must measure less than 3.0 cm by contrast MRI of the brain performed within the past 21 days
• * Lesions must not be within 5 mm of the optic chiasm or within the brainstem
• Eligibility for treatment with gamma knife or linear accelerator-based radiosurgery confirmed by a radiation oncologist
• No primary germ cell tumor, small cell carcinoma, or lymphoma
• No leptomeningeal metastases
• Hormone receptor status not specified
• PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS:
• Male or female
• Menopausal status not specified
• ECOG performance status 0-2
• Not pregnant
• Negative pregnancy test
• Fertile patients must use effective contraception
• * Male patients must continue to use contraception for 3 months after the completion of radiotherapy
• No pacemaker or other MRI-incompatible metal in the body
• No known allergy to gadolinium
• PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY:
• More than 7 days since prior and no concurrent chemotherapy
• No prior cranial radiotherapy
• No prior resection of cerebral metastases
• Concurrent hormonal agents, steroids, and/or anticonvulsants allowed