Everolimus and Docetaxel in Treating Patients With Recurrent, Locally Advanced, or Metastatic Head and Neck Cancer

DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS:

* Histologically confirmed squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck

  * Locally advanced or metastatic disease

    * No patients with locally advanced disease for whom radiotherapy is indicated
  * Recurrent disease
  * Incurable disease
* Measurable disease by RECIST criteria

  * Recurrent disease within a prior radiation field can be considered to be measurable
* Patients may have received 1 line of prior chemotherapy (but not a taxane) for locally advanced or metastatic disease
* Patients may have received prior radiation therapy for locally advanced or metastatic disease (but must have completed the radiotherapy \> 6 months before recruitment)

  * No disease relapsed within 6 months of radiotherapy
* No evidence of central nervous system metastases

PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS:

* ECOG performance status 0-1
* Life expectancy ≥ 12 weeks
* Absolute neutrophil count ≥ 1,500/mm³
* Platelet count ≥ 100,000/mm³
* Hemoglobin ≥ 10 g/dL
* Urea and creatinine normal
* Serum bilirubin normal
* AST or ALT ≤ 1.5 times upper limit of normal (ULN)
* Alkaline phosphatase \< 2.5 times ULN
* Negative pregnancy test
* Not pregnant or nursing
* Fertile patients must use effective contraception during and for 3 months (female) or 2 months (male) after the last dose of the study treatment
* No uncontrolled infection
* No mental condition rendering the patient unable to understand the nature, scope, and possible consequences of the study
* No prior malignancy likely to interfere with the patient's ability to comply with treatment and/or follow up

PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY:

* See Disease Characteristics
* No prior chemotherapy for any cancer, except for head and neck cancer
* No prior taxane
* No prior therapy with any erbB inhibitors (except cetuximab given with radiotherapy, as indicated in treatment algorithm)
* More than 6 months since prior radiotherapy for locally advanced or metastatic disease
* At least 4 weeks since prior investigational drug
* No concurrent use of drugs known to inhibit CYP3A4 (except dexamethasone), or block P-glycoprotein, including grapefruit juice
* No other concurrent chemotherapy, immunotherapy, hormonal cancer therapy, radiotherapy, or experimental medications
* No concurrent live vaccines during everolimus therapy