DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS:

• Diagnosis of cerebral metastases meeting all of the following requirements:

  • 1-3 de novo lesions
  • Metastases must be from a histologically confirmed extracerebral primary site, another metastatic site, or from the metastatic brain lesion(s)
  • Each lesion must be less than 3.0 cm by contrasted MRI of the brain
  • Lesions must not be within 5 mm of optic chiasm or within the brainstem
• No primary germ cell tumor, small cell carcinoma, or lymphoma
• No leptomeningeal metastases
• Eligible for treatment with gamma knife or linear accelerator-based radiosurgery

PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS:

Age:

• 18 and over

Performance status:

• ECOG 0-2 OR
• Zubrod 0-2

Life expectancy:

• Not specified

Hematopoietic:

• Not specified

Hepatic:

• Not specified

Renal:

• Not specified

Other:

• 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 body
• No known allergy to gadolinium
• Deemed to be at low risk for recurrence from any prior malignancies

PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY:

Biologic therapy:

• Not specified

Chemotherapy:

• At least 7 days since prior chemotherapy

Endocrine therapy:

• Concurrent hormonal agents allowed
• Concurrent steroids allowed

Radiotherapy:

• See Disease Characteristics
• No prior cranial radiotherapy

Surgery:

• No prior resection of cerebral metastasis

Other:

• Concurrent anticonvulsants allowed provided therapeutic serum/plasma level maintained before study intervention