DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS:

• Histologically or cytologically confirmed squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck

  • Stage III or IV disease

    • Stage II squamous cell carcinoma of the hypopharynx allowed
• No distant metastases
• No nasopharyngeal carcinoma

PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS:

• Karnofsky performance status 70-100%
• Absolute neutrophil count ≥ 1,500/mm³
• Platelet count ≥ 100,000/mm³
• Hemoglobin ≥ 9 g/dL
• Bilirubin ≤ 1.5 times upper limit of normal (ULN) (≤ 2.5 times ULN for patients with Gilbert's syndrome)
• AST and ALT ≤ 1.5 times ULN
• Alkaline phosphatase ≤ 1.5 times ULN
• INR ≤ 1.5 OR aPTT ≤ 1.5 times ULN
• Creatinine clearance ≥ 55 mL/min
• Urine protein:creatinine ratio < 1.0
• Blood pressure ≤ 150/100 mm Hg

• No arterial thromboembolic events within the past 3 years, including any of the following:

  • Transient ischemic attack
  • Cerebrovascular accident
  • Unstable angina
  • Myocardial infarction
• No abdominal fistula, gastrointestinal perforation, or intra-abdominal abscess within the past 6 months

• No other active malignancy except indolent malignancies that are unlikely to interfere with treatment or efficacy analysis, including any of the following:

  • Carcinoma in situ of the cervix
  • Nonmelanoma skin cancer
  • Prostate cancer without current biochemical or radiologic evidence of disease
• No anatomic lesion that increases the risk of serious hemorrhage (e.g., encasement or invasion of major blood vessels by primary tumor and/or by involved lymph nodes)

• No gross hemoptysis or hematemesis, defined as ≥ 1 teaspoon of bright red blood, within the past 28 days

  • Incidental blood mixed with phlegm allowed

• No skin breakdown or ulceration

  • Skin breakdown overlying malignant neck lymphadenopathy may be allowed
• No hearing deficit requiring hearing aid or intervention
• No significant traumatic injury within the past 28 days
• No New York Heart Association class II-IV congestive heart failure
• No history of bleeding diathesis, hemorrhagic disorder, or coagulopathy
• No nonhealing ulcer, bone fracture, or wound
• No clinically significant peripheral vascular disease
• No peripheral neuropathy (multifocal) interfering with function
• No concurrent esophageal varices
• Not pregnant or nursing
• Negative pregnancy test
• Fertile patients must use effective contraception during and for ≥ 3 months after completion of study treatment

PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY:

• More than 7 days since prior minor surgical procedures (e.g., fine-needle biopsy or percutaneous gastrostomy tube placement)
• More than 28 days since prior major surgical procedure (15 days for core biopsy)
• No prior chemotherapy or radiotherapy for this cancer
• No prior bevacizumab or other vascular endothelial growth factor targeting agents
• No concurrent chronic daily nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory medications known to inhibit platelet function
• No concurrent chronic daily treatment with aspirin (> 325 mg/day)
• No concurrent warfarin, heparin, or low-molecular weight heparin
• No concurrent amifostine as part of radiation treatment

• No concurrent administration of any of the following:

  • Dipyridamole
  • Ticlopidine
  • Clopidogrel bisulfate
  • Cilostazol