Inclusion Criteria:

- Patients must have histologically or cytologically confirmed locally advanced (stage
III or IV) squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck without distant metastatic
disease, who are not candidates or have declined definitive surgical resection or for
administration of standard chemotherapy during radiation therapy because of any of
the following reasons: advanced age (>= 70 years); poor ECOG performance status (2 or
3); significant comorbidities, as reflected by a Charlson comorbidity index score of
>= 3; abnormal hematopoietic, hepatic or renal function; patient's decision after
applicable standard treatment options have been offered and declined by patient

- No prior chemotherapy, radiation therapy, or investigational antitumor drug

- Measurable disease within 4 weeks prior to registration according to the recommended
RECIST response criteria

- Life expectancy of greater than 12 weeks

- Patients must have normal hepatic function or well compensated liver disease as
defined by the Child-Pugh classification of severity of liver disease; patients with
hepatic impairment (total bilirubin greater than upper limit of normal [ULN] or
well-compensated disease [Child-Pugh class A] enrolled in the trial will be closely
monitored, especially those with total bilirubin > 3 times ULN; dosage modifications
(therapy interruption or discontinuation) may be necessary for severe changes in
liver function; patient management will follow the FDA-approved labeling
recommendations

- Women of child-bearing potential and men must agree to use adequate contraception
(hormonal or barrier method of birth control) prior to study entry and for the
duration of study participation

- Men and women of childbearing potential must be willing to consent to using effective
contraception while on treatment and for at least 3 months thereafter

- Women of childbearing potential must have a negative pregnancy test; should a woman
become pregnant or suspect she is pregnant while participating in this study, she
should inform her treating physician immediately

- Ability to understand and willingness to sign a written informed consent document

Exclusion Criteria:

- All histologies other than squamous cell carcinoma

- Salivary gland paranasal sinus and nasopharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma

- Patients who have had prior chemotherapy or radiotherapy

- Patients with metastatic disease

- Patients with ECOG performance status of 4

- History of allergic reactions attributed to compounds of similar chemical or biologic
composition to ERLOTINIB

- Patients with history of any other malignancy (except squamous cell or basal cell
cancer of the skin or CIS of cervix) are ineligible unless a period of 5 years has
elapsed since treatment of the previous cancer and the patient is currently
disease-free from the previous cancer

- Patients may not be receiving any other investigational agent

- Pregnant women; breastfeeding should be discontinued