Pemetrexed and Oxaliplatin in Treating Patients With Locally Advanced Head and Neck Cancer

OBJECTIVES: Primary * To evaluate the clinical response rate in patients with locally advanced squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck treated with neoadjuvant pemetrexed disodium and oxaliplatin. Secondary * To evaluate the pathological complete response in patients who undergo surgical resection or post-induction biopsy. * To assess toxicity of therapy, including the assessment of quality of life, fatigue, and head and neck cancer-related symptoms. * To predict response and toxicities based on pharmacogenomics, genomics, and proteomics. OUTLINE: This is a nonrandomized, open-label study. Patients are assigned to 1 of 2 groups based on resectability of disease (resectable vs nonresectable). * Group I (resectable disease): Patients receive pemetrexed disodium IV and oxaliplatin IV over 2 hours on day 1. Treatment repeats every 14 days for up to 4 courses. If patient progresses before receiving 4 courses of treatment, treatment will be discontinued and patient will proceed to surgery. After completion of pemetrexed disodium and oxaliplatin, patients undergo surgical resection of disease. * Group II (nonresectable disease): Patients receive treatment as in group I. If patient progresses before receiving 4 courses of treatment, treatment will be discontinued and patient will proceed to concurrent chemoradiotherapy. After completion of pemetrexed disodium and oxaliplatin, patients undergo concurrent chemoradiotherapy. Blood samples are collected at baseline and periodically during study for biomarker and pharmacokinetic studies. Quality of life is assessed prior to each course of therapy and at 4-6 weeks after the last course. After completion of study treatment, patients are followed periodically for up to 3 years.