Stereotactic Radiation Therapy in Treating Patients With Brain Metastases

Progression-free Survival (PFS)

Time from enrollment to first date of progressive or recurrent disease. Worsening of neurological symptoms is considered indicative of neurological disease progression. Patients who die of disease-related or treatment-related causes will be considered to have progressed at their date of death; i.e., not be considered 'censored'. PFS will be considered censored only if no progression is noted or if the patient dies of a clearly non-cancer-related event such as accident.

Time frame: Up to 5 years

Time to Neurological Death

Time from enrollment to date of death directly due to brain metastases. Deaths from other causes including hemorrhage or infection will be considered 'censored' observations in the setting of neurologic improvement or stabilization. If the patient dies of any cause with worsening of neurologic symptoms, the death will be counted as an 'event' or neurological death.

Time frame: From time of enrollment up to 5 years

Time to Systemic Death

Descriptive analysis will be conducted using Kaplan-Meier survival analysis

Time frame: From time of enrollment up to 5 years

Karnofsky Decay Time

Time from enrollment to the date the patient's Karnofsky performance score drops below 60. If the patient dies of any cause with no documentation of a drop in their Karnofsky score to less than 60, the date of death will be used as the date of worsening of the Karnofsky score. A patient with a Karnofsky score of 60 or greater requires occasional assistance, but is able to care for most of his/her needs. A patient's Karnofsky decay time will be considered censored if the patient is still under follow up with a Karnofsky score of 60 or greater and if the patient dies of a non-cancer-related cause.