Inclusion Criteria

DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS:

- Diagnosis of brain metastases from an extracranial primary site

- Tumor ≤ 4 cm in maximal extent in any plane on contrast MRI

- Scheduled to undergo gross total resection of a single brain metastasis confirmed by
histology

- Up to 4 metastases allowed provided the largest mass is amenable to surgical
resection and all non-resected masses are amenable to stereotactic radiosurgery
(SRS)

- RTOG Recursive Partitioning Analysis (RPA) class 1 or 2, as defined by the following:

- RPA class 1: Karnofsky performance status (KPS) 70-100%; age < 65 years;
controlled primary disease; and no extracranial metastatic disease

- RPA class 2: KPS 70-100%; uncontrolled primary disease; and/or extracranial
metastatic disease

- No lesion located in anatomic regions that are not amenable to SRS, including the
brain stem, optic apparatus, or eloquent cortex

- No primary lesion with radiosensitive histology (e.g., small cell carcinoma, germ
cell tumors, lymphoma, leukemia, or multiple myeloma)

- No radiographic or cytologic evidence of leptomeningeal disease

PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS:

- See Disease Characteristics

- Not pregnant or nursing

- Negative pregnancy test

- No concurrent uncontrolled illness including, but not limited to, any of the
following:

- Symptomatic congestive heart failure

- Unstable angina pectoris

- Psychiatric illness

- No contraindication to SRS, whole-brain radiotherapy, or MRI

PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY:

- See Disease Characteristics

- No prior brain surgery other than resection of metastasis

- No prior brain radiotherapy