OBJECTIVES: I. Assess the safety and tolerability of focal stereotactic radiotherapy to the surgical bed following excision of cerebral metastases, as an alternative to whole brain irradiation. II. Measure the local relapse rate at the surgical site after surgery and stereotactic radiotherapy in patients with cerebral metastases. III. Measure the regional relapse rate, in the brain but away from the treated site, following treatment in these patients.