Inclusion Criteria

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