Purpose: Evidence supports stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS) or fractionated stereotactic radiosurgery (fSRS) for brainstem metastases (BSMs). The optimal dose-fractionation schedule remains undefined. We evaluated tumor control probability (TCP), overall survival (OS), and treatment-related adverse events after SRS and fSRS. Methods and materials: We conducted a comprehensive review of studies from the PubMed, Embase, and Cochrane databases and from our institutional cohort. Logistic dose-response models compared TCP and OS using biological effective dose (BED) calculated using the linear-quadratic model and equivalent doses for 1-5 fractions. The alpha/(i ratio was estimated by fitting TCP data using maximum likelihood estimation across three representative radiobiological models. Results: A total of 2,237 patients (2,423 lesions) from 28 articles and our institutional cohort were included in the analysis. The median tumor volume was 0.4 cm3 (range, 0.04-4.2; interquartile range [IQR], 0.19-0.995), and the median follow-up duration was 10 months (range, 3.2-37.7; IQR, 5.8-14.15). Fitting the clinical TCP data from SRS and fSRS consistently yielded alpha/(i ratios of approximately 20 Gy across all three radiobiological models. SRS and fSRS achieved an estimated 1-year TCP of 90% at a BED20 ti 36.8 Gy (ti 18.9 Gy/1 fx, 23.3 Gy/2 fx, 25.7 Gy/3 fx, 27.4 Gy/4 fx, and 28.6 Gy/5 fx) and a 2-year TCP of 90% at a BED20 ti 41.4 Gy (ti 20.5 Gy/1 fx, 25.3 Gy/2 fx, 28.2 Gy/3 fx, 30.1 Gy/4 fx, and 31.5 Gy/5 fx). Estimated 1- and 2-year TCPs of 80%, 85%, and 90% were achieved with single-fraction doses of 15.8, 17.2, and 18.9 Gy as well as 17.4, 18.8, and 20.5 Gy, respectively. A trend toward significance was observed for BED20 and equivalent dose in relation to 1- and 2-year OS following SRS and fSRS. Grade >= 3 adverse events were infrequent (3.1%), with only one patient experiencing grade 5 hemorrhage (0.04%).