Bortezomib, Cetuximab, and Radiation Therapy With or Without Cisplatin in Treating Patients With Stage IV Head and Neck Cancer

DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS:

• Histologically or cytologically confirmed squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck, including variants or undifferentiated/poorly differentiated carcinoma

  • Previously untreated stage IV disease OR residual disease or regionally recurrent disease after prior surgery and/or chemotherapy
• Must be eligible to receive full-dose radiotherapy and be evaluated and accepted for treatment by a Radiation Oncologist
• No clinically measurable distant disease OR has asymptomatic small distant lesions outside the radiation field ≤ 3 cm in individual or aggregate diameter for which palliation of local and regional disease is clearly warranted

• No previously untreated nasopharyngeal cancer (any stage)

  • Recurrent nasopharyngeal carcinoma allowed
• No known brain metastases

PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS:

• ECOG performance status (PS) 0-1 OR Karnofsky PS 70-100%
• ANC ≥ 1,500/mcL
• Platelet count ≥ 100,000/mcL
• Total bilirubin normal (indirect bilirubin ≤ 3 mg/dL in patients with Gilbert's syndrome)
• AST and ALT ≤ 2.5 times upper limit of normal
• Creatinine normal OR creatinine clearance ≥ 60 mL/min
• Not pregnant or nursing
• Negative pregnancy test
• Fertile patients must use effective contraception
• Adequate cognitive and neurologic function
• No history of allergic reactions attributed to compounds of similar chemical or biologic composition to bortezomib, cetuximab, cisplatin, or other agents used in this study
• No peripheral sensory neuropathy ≥ grade 2

• No concurrent uncontrolled illness including, but not limited to, the following:

  • Ongoing or active infection
  • Symptomatic congestive heart failure
  • Unstable angina pectoris
  • Cardiac arrhythmia
  • Psychiatric illness/social situations that would preclude study compliance
• HIV-negative

PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY:

• See Disease Characteristics
• Recovered from prior therapy
• At least 4 weeks since prior chemotherapy (6 weeks for nitrosoureas or mitomycin C)
• More than 3 months since prior cisplatin
• No prior radiotherapy to the head and neck
• No prior systemic EGFR inhibitors
• No prior bortezomib
• No other concurrent investigational agents
• No other concurrent anticancer therapy
• No concurrent antiretroviral therapy
• No concurrent prophylactic filgrastim (G-CSF) or sargramostim (GM-CSF)
• No concurrent amifostine