In WBRT, radiation therapy is administered broadly, to the whole brain, over multiple treatments.
[1] WBRT has been shown to alleviate symptoms, decrease the use of corticosteroids needed to control tumor-associated edema, and potentially improve overall survival.
[2] However, WBRT has been reported to increase the risk of cognitive decline.
[3] WBRT may be administered in combination with stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS), surgery, or systemic therapies.
[1] While these can improve survival for some patients with single brain metastasis, a 2021 systematic review of the literature found inconsistent results for overall survival.