Purpose

To determine safety profile of the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) antagonist, ZD1839 in combination with cisplatin and radiation therapy in patients with local-regional recurrent squamous cell cancer of the head and neck. To study the effects of ZD1839 combined with either cisplatin or radiotherapy on signal transduction pathway gene expression in tumor cells in patients with local-regional recurrent squamous cell cancer of the head and neck using micro array analysis from tumor samples taken at the time of relapse and during treatment.