DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS:

• Histologically or cytologically confirmed squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck, including any of the following subtypes:

  • Oral cavity
  • Oropharynx
  • Larynx
  • Hypopharynx
• Stage III or IV disease (no distant metastases)
• No cancer of the lip, nasopharynx, or sinuses

• Must have undergone gross total resection* (with curative intent) within 3-6 weeks of registration, with pathology demonstrating 1 or more of the following risk factors:

  • Histologic extracapsular nodal extension
  • Invasive cancer seen on microscopic evaluation of the resection margin, when all visible tumor has been removed NOTE: *Tonsillar cancer patients who undergo transoral excision of all gross tumor are eligible if the patient has formal neck dissection confirming histologic extracapsular nodal extension

PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS:

Inclusion criteria:

• Zubrod performance status 0-1
• ANC ≥ 2,000/mm³
• Platelet count ≥ 100,000/mm³
• Hemoglobin ≥ 8.0 g/dL (transfusion or other intervention to achieve this level allowed)
• Total bilirubin normal
• AST or ALT ≤ 2 times upper limit of normal (ULN)
• Alkaline phosphatase ≤ 2.5 times ULN
• Serum creatinine ≤ 1.5 mg/dL
• Creatinine clearance ≥ 60 mL/min
• Glucose ≥ 40 mg/dL OR ≤ 250 mg/dL
• Sodium ≥ 130 mmol/L OR ≤ 155 mmol/L
• Magnesium ≥ 0.9 mg/dL OR ≤ 3 mg/dL (supplementation allowed)
• Potassium ≥ 4 mmol/L OR ≤ 6 mmol/L (supplementation allowed)
• Serum calcium (ionized or adjusted for albumin) ≥ 7 mg/dL OR ≤ 12.5 mg/dL (supplementation allowed)
• QTc interval > 480 msec must have 2 additional EKGs ≥ 24 hrs apart and the average QTc from the 3 screening EKGs must be ≤ 480 msec
• Not pregnant or nursing
• Negative pregnancy test
• Fertile patients must use effective contraception during and for at least 60 days after completion of study treatment
• May not donate blood during the study or for 3 months after last dose of vandetanib

Exclusion criteria:

• Other simultaneous primary cancer

• Prior invasive malignancy (except nonmelanoma skin cancer) unless disease free for a minimum of 3 years with the exception of the following:

  • Carcinoma in situ of the cervix
  • Adequately treated basal cell or squamous cell carcinoma of the skin
  • Untreated or treated low-risk prostate cancer (defined as clinical or pathologic T1c, N0 M0, PSA < 10, Gleason < 7, < 50% of the total cores positive for cancer)

• Severe, active co-morbidity, defined as follows:

  • Clinically significant cardiovascular event (e.g., myocardial infarction, superior vena cava syndrome, or New York Heart Association class II-IV) or presence of cardiac disease that, in the opinion of the investigator, increases the risk of ventricular arrhythmia within the past 3 months
  • Unstable angina and/or congestive heart failure requiring hospitalization within the past 3 months
  • Transmural myocardial infarction within the past 3 months

  • History of arrhythmia (e.g., multifocal premature ventricular contractions, bigeminy, trigeminy, ventricular tachycardia, or uncontrolled atrial fibrillation) which is symptomatic or requires treatment (CTCAE grade 3), or asymptomatic sustained ventricular tachycardia

    • Patients with atrial fibrillation, controlled on medication, are eligible
  • Presence of left bundle branch block
  • Previous history of QTc prolongation as a result from other medication that required discontinuation of that medication
  • Congenital long QTc syndrome or first degree relative with unexplained sudden death under 40 years of age

  • QTc with Bazett's correction that is unmeasurable or ≥ 480 msec on screening EKG

    • Patients who are receiving a drug that has a risk of QTc prolongation are not eligible if QTc is ≥ 460 msec
  • Hypertension (systolic blood pressure [BP] > 160 mm Hg or diastolic BP > 100 mm Hg) not controlled by medical therapy
  • Diarrhea ≥ grade 1 (increase of < 4 stools per day over baseline or mild increase in ostomy output compared to baseline)
  • Acute bacterial or fungal infection requiring intravenous antibiotics at the time of registration
  • Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease exacerbation or other respiratory illness requiring hospitalization or precluding study therapy within the past 30 days
  • Hepatic insufficiency resulting in clinical jaundice and/or coagulation defects
  • Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS) based upon current CDC definition (no HIV testing is required for study entry)
• Prior allergic reaction to cisplatin or vandetanib or derivatives similar to these drugs

PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY:

• See Disease Characteristics
• No prior systemic chemotherapy for this disease (prior chemotherapy for a different cancer allowed)
• No prior radiotherapy to the head and neck area that would result in overlap of radiotherapy fields
• More than 30 days since prior investigational agents
• More than 3 weeks since prior major surgery and recovered
• More than 2 weeks since prior and no concurrent medications that induce Torsades de Pointes
• More than 2 weeks since prior and no concurrent known potent inducers of CYP3A4, including rifampicin, phenytoin, carbamazepine, barbiturates, and Hypericum perforatum (St. John wort)
• No concurrent medication that may cause QTc prolongation