New combo therapy targets tough head and neck cancers

Copied word for word from the study's registry entry, so the wording is the study team's rather than ours.

Inclusion Criteria: * Patients must have histologically or cytologically confirmed Stage III-IV disease comprised of T3 or T4 N0-2 lesions of the oral cavity, oropharynx, hypopharynx, and larynx. * No previous radiation therapy or chemotherapy. * No evidence of distant metastatic disease. * Age \> 18. * Karnofsky performance status of \> 60 (ECOG 2). * ANC \> 1000, platelets \> 100,000, calculated or 24-hour creatinine clearance \> 60. * Study-specific informed consent form. * Protocol treatment must begin \< 8 weeks of diagnostic biopsy. * Ability to understand and the willingness to sign a written informed consent document. * Patients with surgically cured secondary malignancy who have been disease free \> 5 years are eligible. Exclusion Criteria: * Radiologic evidence of bone destruction. * Previous or concurrent head and neck primaries. * Prior surgery to study site other than biopsy. * Patients receiving any other investigational agents. * History of allergic reactions attributed to compounds of similar chemical or biologic composition to agents used in the study. * Uncontrolled intercurrent illness including, but not limited to, ongoing or active infection, symptomatic congestive heart failure, unstable angina pectoris, cardiac arrhythmia, or psychiatric illness/social situations that would limit compliance with study requirements. * Pregnant women are excluded from this study because treatments and agents have the potential for teratogenic or abortifacient effects. For this reason, women of child-bearing potential and men must agree to use adequate contraception (hormonal or barrier method of birth control; abstinence) prior to study entry and for the duration of study participation. Should a woman become pregnant or suspect she is pregnant while participating in this study, she should inform her treating physician immediately. * History of a prior or concomitant malignancy (other than carcinoma in situ of the cervix, basal cell or squamous cell carcinoma of the skin).