DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS:

• Histologically confirmed squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck meeting the following criteria:

  • Site of tumor origin in the oral cavity, oropharynx, larynx, or hypopharynx (excluding lip, nasopharynx, or sinuses)

  • Gross total resection must be completed within 7 weeks of randomization, with pathology demonstrating one or more of the following risk factors:

    • Histologic extracapsular nodal extension
    • Histologic involvement of ≥ 2 regional lymph nodes
    • Invasive cancer seen on microscopic evaluation of the resection margin, with no evidence of gross tumor residual. or lymphoepithelioma of the oral cavity, oropharynx, larynx, or hypopharynx
    • Tonsillar cancer patients who undergo transoral excision of all gross tumor are eligible provided extracapsular nodal extension or involvement of ≥ 2 regional lymph nodes is histologically confirmed
  • Stage III or IV disease after gross total resection completed within the past 7 weeks
• No evidence of distant metastases
• No synchronous or concurrent head and neck primary tumors

PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS:

Age

• 18 and over

Performance status

• Zubrod 0-1

Life expectancy

• Not specified

Hematopoietic

• Absolute neutrophil count ≥ 2,000/mm^3
• Platelet count ≥ 100,000/mm^3
• Hemoglobin > 8.0 g/dL

Hepatic

• Bilirubin ≤ 1.5 times upper limit of normal (ULN)

• AST or ALT, and alkaline phosphatase meeting 1 of the following parameters:

  • Alkaline phosphatase ≤ ULN AND AST or ALT ≤ 5 times ULN
  • Alkaline phosphatase ≤ 2.5 times ULN AND AST or ALT ≤ 1.5 times ULN
  • Alkaline phosphatase ≤ 5 times ULN AND AST or ALT ≤ ULN

Renal

• Creatinine ≤ 1.5 mg/dL

Cardiovascular

• No unstable angina
• No uncontrolled hypertension
• No myocardial infarction within the past 6 months (unless successfully treated with coronary artery bypass surgery or percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty)
• No uncontrolled arrhythmia
• No congestive heart failure
• No more than 2 heart-related hospitalizations within the past year
• No other active cardiac disease

Pulmonary

• No more than 2 hospitalizations for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease within the past year

Neurologic

• No pre-existing peripheral neuropathy ≥ grade 2
• No uncontrolled seizure disorder
• No active neurological disease

Other

• No prior severe hypersensitivity reaction to docetaxel or other drugs formulated with polysorbate 80
• No other invasive malignancy within the past 3 years except nonmelanoma skin cancer
• No other concurrent illness that would preclude study participation
• No concurrent psychiatric illness that would preclude study participation
• No other concurrent physical condition (e.g., infectious disease) that would preclude study participation
• No prisoners
• Not pregnant or nursing
• Negative pregnancy test
• Fertile patients must use effective contraception during and for 3 months after study participation

PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY:

Biologic therapy

• No prior anti-epidermal growth factor receptor antibody therapy

Chemotherapy

• More than 3 years since prior cytotoxic chemotherapy

Endocrine therapy

• Not specified

Radiotherapy

• No prior head and neck radiotherapy
• No concurrent intensity-modulated radiotherapy

Surgery

• See Disease Characteristics

Other

• No prior tyrosine kinase inhibitor therapy