Riluzole and Whole-Brain Radiation Therapy in Treating Patients With Brain Metastases

Inclusion Criteria

• •DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS:
• •Histologically confirmed solid tumor
• •Has ≥ 2 brain metastases as demonstrated by baseline MRI
• •* Patients with only 1 metastasis are eligible provided the metastasis is too large for radiosurgery and not amenable to surgical resection
• •Not being considered for surgical resection
• •Eligible to undergo whole-brain radiotherapy (WBRT)
• •PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS:
• •ECOG performance status 0-2
• •ANC ≥ 1,000/μL
• •Platelet count ≥ 50,000/μL
• •Total bilirubin ≤ 1.5 times upper limit of normal (ULN)
• •AST/ALT ≤ 1.5 times ULN
• •INR ≤ 1.5 times ULN
• •Sodium normal
• •Thyroid-stimulating hormone normal
• •Negative pregnancy test
• •Fertile patients must use effective contraception before, during, and for ≥ 6 months after completion of study treatment
• •No headaches, disequilibrium, vertigo, or dizziness
• •No known history of hepatitis B or C
• •No concurrent serious systemic disorder (including active infection) that would compromise the safety of the patient or compromise the patient's ability to complete the study, at the discretion of the investigator
• •No history of allergic reactions attributed to riluzole
• •PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY:
• •No prior WBRT
• •At least 2 weeks since prior systemic chemotherapy
• •No systemic chemotherapy during and for ≥ 3 weeks after completion of WBRT
• •Radiosurgical boosts to ≤ 3 metastases allowed, based on the discretion of the treating radiation oncologist