Inclusion Criteria

DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS:

Inclusion criteria:

- Histologically or cytologically confirmed squamous cell carcinoma of the head and
neck

- Persistent, recurrent, or metastatic disease that is not amenable to
curative-intent therapy with surgery or radiation

- Measurable disease, defined as at least one lesion that can be accurately measured in
at least one dimension (longest diameter to be recorded) ≥ 20 mm with conventional
techniques or ≥ 10 mm with spiral CT scan

Exclusion criteria:

- Known brain metastases

PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS:

Inclusion criteria:

- Karnofsky performance status ≥ 60%

- WBC ≥ 3,000/mcL

- Absolute neutrophil count ≥ 1,500/mcL

- Platelets ≥ 100,000/mcL

- Hemoglobin > 9 g/dL

- Total bilirubin within upper institutional limits of normal (ULN)

- AST/ALT ≤ 2.5 x ULN

- Creatinine within ULN OR creatinine clearance ≥ 60 mL/min

- Patients must agree to use adequate birth control for the duration of study
participation and for at least 8 weeks after discontinuation of study drug

Exclusion criteria:

- History of allergic reactions attributed to compounds of similar chemical or
biological composition to AZD0530

- Urine protein:creatinine ratio ≥ 1.0 OR 24-hour urine protein ≥ 1,000 mg

- QTc prolongation ≥ 480 msecs

- Intercurrent symptomatic congestive heart failure, unstable angina pectoris, or
cardiac arrhythmia

- History of myocardial infarction within the past year

- Uncontrolled intercurrent illness including, but not limited to, ongoing or active
infection or psychiatric illness/social situations that would limit compliance with
study requirements

- Pregnant or breastfeeding women

- HIV-positive patients on combination antiretroviral therapy

- Pulmonary fibrosis ≥ grade 2, pleural effusion (non-malignant) ≥ grade 2, or
pneumonitis/pulmonary infiltrates ≥ grade 2

PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY:

Inclusion criteria:

- May have received 1 prior cytotoxic chemotherapy regimen for recurrent or metastatic
disease

Exclusion criteria:

- Patients who have had chemotherapy or radiotherapy within 4 weeks (6 weeks for
nitrosoureas or mitomycin C) prior to entering the study

- Patients who have not recovered from adverse events due to agents administered more
than 4 weeks earlier

- Use of specifically prohibited CYP3A4-active agents or substances

- Prohibited drugs should be discontinued 7 days prior to the administration of
the first dose of AZD0530 and for 7 days following discontinuation of AZD0530

- Patients receiving any other investigational agents