A method for treating brain metastases of a cancer in a mammal includes administering to the mammal a therapeutically effective amount of a perillyl alcohol carbamate, such as TMZ-POH. The brain metastases can be originated or spread from breast cancer. The perillyl alcohol derivative may be perillyl alcohol conjugated with a therapeutic agent, such as a chemotherapeutic agent. The chemotherapeutic agents that may be used in the present invention include a DNA alkylating agent, a topoisomerase inhibitor, an endoplasmic reticulum stress inducing agent, a platinum compound, an antimetabolite, an enzyme inhibitor, and a receptor antagonist.