Clinical Trials

Brief Overview:

Patients with brain metastases often receive whole brain radiation therapy which can be very effective in controlling their tumors. Radiation to the surgical bed is an alternative approach which can afford improved local control of the tumor bed without the toxicity of whole brain radiation therapy. This study will look tumor control in patients with blimited brain metastases treated with stereotactic cranial radiosurgery (SRS), followed by planned surgical resection, or resection followed by SRS.
Inclusion Criteria
- Patients must have a previously histopathologically proven diagnosis of malignancy. The only histologies that will be excluded are small cell lung cancer (which is known to benefit from WBRT) and hematologic malignancies. Patients with primary brain cancer will also be excluded.
- Patients must be 18 yeaers or older. Pregnant patients will not be included.
- Patients must have 1-3 brain metastases seen on MRI or CT imaging. At least one brain metastases must be considered appropriate for surgical resection.
- All lesions must be less than 4 cm in greatest dimension. For patients with more than 1 brain metastases, only 1 lesion can exceed 3 cm in greatest dimension.
- Patients must have a Karnofsky performance status greater than or equal to 60
- Potential subjects cannot have had prior WBRT or SRS