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Preoperative Dose Escalated Stereotactic Radiosurgery for the Treatment of Resectable Brain Metastases, PRESS Trial

Trial Status: active

This clinical trial tests how well dose escalated stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS) works in treating patients with breast cancer, non-small cell lung cancer, melanoma or gastrointestinal cancer that has spread from where it first started to the brain (brain metastases) before undergoing surgery (preoperative) to remove the brain tumor. SRS is a type of radiation therapy that delivers targeted high-dose radiation. SRS can accurately target a very small area of the body, such as a particular part of the brain where tumor cells are growing. Because it is so precise, SRS can reduce damage to healthy tissues surrounding the area it targets. Currently, SRS is used to treat brain tumors after surgery. During surgery to remove the tumor, it is possible that tumor cells can "spill out" and spread into the fluid or lining around the brain. Treating the tumor before it is removed, while it is still solid and in one piece, may allow the radiation to be aimed more precisely at that tumor and reduce the amount of radiation to the healthy brain around the tumor. Giving preoperative dose escalated SRS may be effective in preventing tumor cells from spreading to other areas of the brain and improve outcomes while minimizing complications after surgery.