Inclusion Criteria

DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS:

- Histologically or cytologically confirmed squamous cell (epidermoid) carcinoma of the
oral cavity, oropharynx, hypopharynx, larynx, nasopharynx, or maxillary sinus

- Stage III or IV disease

- Distant metastases allowed provided both of the following are true:

- Metastases are confined to the head and neck region

- Metastases are encompassable in a radiotherapy field with curative intent

- Locally recurrent disease after primary surgery allowed

- Meets 1 of the following criteria:

- Unresectable disease

- Patient prefers chemoradiotherapy over surgery

- Measurable disease

- No brain metastases and/or carcinomatous meningitis

PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS:

Age

- 18 and over

Performance status

- Not specified

Life expectancy

- Not specified

Hematopoietic

- WBC ≥ 3,000/mm^3

- Hemoglobin > 10 g/dL

- Platelet count > 100,000/mm^3

- Absolute neutrophil count ≥ 1,500/mm^3

Hepatic

- Bilirubin < 2.0 times upper limit of normal (ULN)

- AST/ALT ≤ 2.5 times ULN

Renal

- Creatinine < 1.5 times ULN OR

- Creatinine clearance ≥ 60 mL/min

Cardiovascular

- No symptomatic congestive heart failure

- No unstable angina pectoris

- No cardiac arrhythmia

Pulmonary

- No clinically active interstitial lung disease

- Chronic, stable, asymptomatic radiographic changes allowed

Other

- No prior allergic reaction attributed to compounds of similar chemical or biological
composition to study drugs or Cremophor^® EL

- No AIDS or primary immunodeficiencies

- No other malignancy within the past 5 years except curatively treated squamous cell
or basal cell skin cancer or carcinoma in situ of the cervix

- Probability of recurrence of the prior malignancy < 5%

- No other concurrent uncontrolled illness

- No ongoing or active serious infection

- No psychiatric illness or situation that would preclude study compliance or giving
informed consent

- Not pregnant or nursing

- Negative pregnancy test

- Fertile patients must use effective contraception

PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY:

Biologic therapy

- Not specified

Chemotherapy

- No prior chemotherapy for cancer

- No other concurrent chemotherapy

Endocrine therapy

- Not specified

Radiotherapy

- No prior therapeutic radiotherapy to the head and neck region

- No prior radiotherapy for cancer

Surgery

- See Disease Characteristics

- At least 4 weeks since prior major surgery and recovered

Other

- No prior gefitinib or other epidermal growth factor receptor inhibitors

- More than 4 weeks since prior non-approved or investigational agents

- No concurrent administration of any of the following:

- Phenytoin

- Carbamazepine

- Barbiturates

- Rifampin

- Hypericum perforatum (St. John's wort)

- Oxcarbazepine

- Rifapentine

- Amifostine

- Modafinil

- Other CYP3A4 enzyme inducers

- Other anticancer agents or investigational drugs

- Combination antiretroviral therapy for HIV-positive patients