Surgery, Radiation Therapy, and Combination Chemotherapy in Treating Patients With Recurrent Head and Neck Cancer

Summary

RATIONALE: Drugs used in chemotherapy use different ways to stop tumor cells from dividing so they stop growing or die. Radiation therapy uses high-energy x-rays to damage tumor cells. Drugs such as amifostine may prevent the side effects of radiation therapy. Combining more than one drug and combining radiation therapy and surgery with chemotherapy may kill more tumor cells. PURPOSE: Phase II trial to study the effectiveness of combining surgery, radiation therapy, and combination chemotherapy in treating patients who have recurrent head and neck cancer that has been treated previously with radiation therapy.

Timeline

Start

1998-12

Primary completion

2001-04

Completion

2001-04-20

Drugs

Indications