The benefit and risk of whole brain radiation therapy (WBRT) compared to locally limited radiation therapy was assessed in 61 patients with solitary brain metastases from non-small cell lung cancer without an unresectable active primary lesion or systemic dissemination in the other organs. Twentythree patients received local irradiation (Group A), and 38 patients received whole brain irradiation with or without local irradiation (Group B). The survival was significantly better in Group A than in Group B (p < 0.05), with median survivals of 83.1 and 30.7 weeks, respectively. One-year local recurrence rates were 7% in Group A and 21% in Group B, but the difference was not statistically significant. The 1-year distant recurrence rate was similar at 18%. Radiation-induced dementia occurred in two patients in Group A (8.7%) and seven in Group B (18.4%), but was not statistically significant (p = 0.30). There is no obvious benefit and possible disadvantages of WBRT compared to local irradiation for the population of patients investigated in this study. Intraoperative radiation therapy or stereotactic radiosurgery without WBRT should be considered in the patients with solitary brain metastases.