OBJECTIVES:
Primary
* Determine the effectiveness of prophylactic cranial radiotherapy in patients with advanced non-small cell lung cancer that is responsive to gefitinib or erlotinib hydrochloride.
Secondary
* Determine the progression-free survival in patients treated with this regimen.
* Determine the overall survival in patients treated with this regimen.
* Determine the safety and tolerability of this regimen in these patients.
* Determine the psycho-neurological effects of this regimen in these patients.
* Determine the quality of life of patients treated with this regimen.
OUTLINE: This is a multicenter study. Patients are stratified according to prior chemotherapy regimens (first line vs second line), and disease response status (complete response or partial response vs stable disease). Patients are randomized to 1 of 2 treatment groups.
* Group 1: Patients undergo prophylactic brain radiotherapy.
* Group 2: Patients undergo observation. Patients complete quality of life (HVLT, K-ADL, EORTC QLQ-C30, and EORTC-BN20) questionnaires periodically.
After completion of study therapy, patients are followed up periodically.
