Combination Chemotherapy With or Without Radiation Therapy in Treating Patients With Recurrent Head and Neck Cancer That Cannot Be Removed By Surgery

DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS:

* Histologically\* or cytologically\* confirmed squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) of the oral cavity, oropharynx, hypopharynx, or larynx, including any of the following histologic variants:

  * Spindle cell carcinoma
  * Poorly differentiated keratin-positive carcinoma
  * Lymphoepithelioma NOTE: \*Biopsy or primary tumor and/or fine needle aspiration of the metastatic lymph node required
* Original or second primary tumor

  * Recurrent neck metastases with unknown primary allowed
* Locally recurrent disease
* Measurable disease
* Unresectable disease

  * Attempted surgical resection allowed provided surgery was performed ≥ 3 months ago, wound is completely healed, and there is no sign of carotid exposure
* Must have had prior radiotherapy for SCC of the head and neck with \> 75% of the present tumor volume in areas irradiated at doses ≥ 45 Gy but ≤ 75 Gy

  * Able to successfully re-irradiate the area of the gross tumor volume without exceeding lifetime spinal cord dose of 54 Gy as determined by physical examination and CT scan and/or MRI performed within the past 8 weeks
  * First recurrence occurred \> 6 months after completion of radiotherapy

    * More than 1 recurrence allowed provided the above criteria for first recurrence has been met
* No primary tumor of the nasopharynx or salivary gland
* No distant metastases by history or physical examination, chest CT scan, and CT scan or MRI of the tumor site

  * Patients with equivocal pulmonary nodules are eligible provided the nodules are \< 1 cm, can be safely biopsied, or are negative by positron emission tomography imaging
  * No circumferential tumor involvement of the carotid sheath by imaging unless prophylactic carotid stent is placed

PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS:

Age

* 18 and over

Performance status

* Zubrod 0-1

Life expectancy

* Not specified

Hematopoietic

* Absolute neutrophil count ≥ 1,800/mm³
* Platelet count ≥ 100,000/mm³
* Hemoglobin ≥ 8.0 g/dL (transfusion or other intervention allowed)

Hepatic

* AST or ALT \< 2 times upper limit of normal (ULN)
* Bilirubin \< 1.5 mg/dL
* No hepatic insufficiency resulting in clinical jaundice and/or coagulation defects

Renal

* Creatinine clearance \> 50 mL/min
* Calcium \< 11.5 mg/dL

Cardiovascular

* No New York Heart Association class III or IV heart disease
* No other symptomatic or uncontrolled cardiac disease

Pulmonary

* No chronic obstructive pulmonary disease exacerbation
* No other respiratory illness requiring hospitalization within the past 6 months or that would preclude study therapy

Immunologic

* No AIDS
* No prior allergic reaction to E. coli-derived products
* No acute bacterial or fungal infection requiring IV antibiotics

Other

* Not pregnant or nursing
* Negative pregnancy test
* Fertile patients must use effective contraception during and for 30 days after completion of study treatment
* No other invasive malignancy within the past 3 years except nonmelanoma skin cancer, carcinoma in situ of the breast, oral cavity, or cervix
* No pre-existing peripheral sensory neuropathy \> grade 2
* No other severe active co-morbidity

PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY:

Biologic therapy

* Not specified

Chemotherapy

* At least 6 months since prior chemotherapy
* No prior systemic chemotherapy for recurrent SCC of the head and neck

  * Prior neoadjuvant, adjuvant, and/or concurrent chemotherapy and radiotherapy for initial SCC of the head and neck allowed

Endocrine therapy

* Not specified

Radiotherapy

* See Disease Characteristics
* See Chemotherapy
* At least 6 months since prior radiotherapy

Surgery

* See Disease Characteristics

Other

* Prior cyclooxygenase-2 inhibitor or retinoids for chemoprevention allowed
* At least 6 months since prior epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) inhibitors or other targeted agents
* No prior EGFR inhibitors or other targeted agents for recurrent SCC of the head and neck
* No concurrent cimetidine or allopurinol (for patients on arm II, regimen 1)