AP5346 or Oxaliplatin in Treating Patients With Metastatic and/or Unresectable Recurrent Head and Neck Cancer

DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS:

* Histologically or cytologically confirmed primary squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck, including the oral cavity, oropharynx, hypopharynx, larynx, or nasopharynx

  * Metastatic and/or unresectable locally recurrent disease for which no curative treatment is available

    * Patients must not be candidates for surgical resection or radiotherapy with curative intent
    * Histological documentation of relapse required, especially for locoregional recurrence or recurrence in a previously irradiated field
* Tumor(s) must be amenable to minimally invasive biopsy during the first course of treatment

  * Must have evidence of progression or appearance of a new lesion after completion of radiotherapy, if biopsy site is in a previously irradiated field

PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS:

* WHO performance status 0-2
* Not pregnant or nursing
* Negative pregnancy test
* Fertile patients must use effective contraception
* Absolute neutrophil count ≥ 2,000/mm³
* Platelet count ≥ 100,000/mm³
* Hemoglobin ≥ 10 g/dL
* Bilirubin \< 1.5 times upper level of normal (ULN)
* Alkaline phosphatase (AP) ≤ 5 times normal (unless elevation is due to bone disease or bone metastasis in the absence of liver disease)
* AST and ALT ≤ 3 times ULN

  * AST and ALT \> 3 times ULN allowed provided AP ≤ 3 times ULN
* Blood urea \< 1.5 times ULN
* Creatinine \< 1.5 times ULN OR creatinine clearance \> 60 mL/min OR creatinine clearance by 24-hour urine collection normal
* Calcium normal
* No history of hypersensitivity reactions of any kind to cisplatin or carboplatin
* No other serious medical condition or psychiatric illness that would preclude the patient's ability to give informed consent or receive study treatment
* No symptomatic peripheral neuropathy ≥ grade 2
* No need for IV alimentation
* No other serious illness or medical condition, including, but not limited to, the following:

  * Ongoing or active infection
  * Symptomatic congestive heart failure
  * Unstable angina pectoris or cardiac arrhythmia
  * Significant neurologic or psychiatric disorders, including dementia or uncontrolled seizures
  * Hypophosphatemia

PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY:

* See Disease Characteristics
* At least 4 weeks since prior and no other concurrent anticancer treatment (i.e., chemotherapy, chemoradiotherapy, or radiotherapy)
* At least 4 weeks since prior biologic therapy
* No prior oxaliplatin

  * Prior cisplatin or carboplatin allowed
* No concurrent anticoagulants other than cardioprotective doses of aspirin, cyclooxygenase 1-inhibitory nonspecific anti-inflammatory drugs, or prophylactic low-dose heparin
* Concurrent bisphosphonates for hypercalcemia allowed provided the drug was initiated ≥ 3 months prior to study entry