Quality of Life After Radiotherapy & Steroids. A Phase III Multi-Centre Randomised Controlled Trial to Assess Whether Optimal Supportive Care Alone (Including Dexamathasone) is As Effective as Optimal Supportive Care (Including Dexamethasone ) Plus Whole Brain Radiotherapy in the Treatment of Patients With Inoperable Brain Metastases From Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer

RATIONALE: Steroid therapy, such as dexamethasone, may reduce swelling, pain, and other symptoms of inflammation and may be effective in treating some of the problems caused by cancer and cancer treatment. Supportive care improves the quality of life of patients with a serious or life-threatening disease, and prevents or treats symptoms of cancer, side effects of treatment, and other problems related to cancer or its treatment. Radiation therapy uses high-energy x-rays to kill tumor cells. It is not yet known whether dexamethasone given together with supportive care is more effective with or without whole-brain radiation therapy in treating patients with brain metastases.

PURPOSE: This randomized phase III trial is studying dexamethasone and supportive care to see how well it works with or without whole-brain radiation therapy in improving the quality of life of patients with non-small cell lung cancer that has spread to the brain and cannot be removed by surgery.