Acupuncture-Like Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation (ALTENS) or Pilocarpine in Treating Early Dry Mouth in Patients Undergoing Radiation Therapy for Head and Neck Cancer

OBJECTIVES: Primary * Determine the feasibility of successfully delivering acupuncture-like transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (ALTENS) using the Codetron™ unit in a cooperative group setting in head and neck cancer patients with early radiotherapy-induced xerostomia. (phase II) * Compare the efficacy of ALTENS treatment vs pilocarpine hydrochloride in these patients in reducing overall xerostomia burden, as measured by the University of Michigan 15-item Xerostomia-Related Quality of Life Scale (XeQOLS) at 9 months after randomization. (phase III) Secondary * Evaluate the effect of ALTENS treatment on overall xerostomia burden at 6 months after study entry in these patients. (phase II) * Compare the efficacy of these treatments in these patients in reducing overall xerostomia burden at 4, 6, and 15 months after randomization. (phase III) * Compare the efficacy of these treatments in these patients in reducing symptom burden, as measured by the four domains of the XeQOLS (i.e., physical functioning, social functioning, personal/psychological functioning, and pain/discomfort) at 4, 6, 9, and 15 months after randomization. (phase III) * Compare the efficacy of these treatments in these patients in increasing stimulated (i.e., citric acid primed) whole salivary production (WSP), as measured by sialometry, at 4, 6, 9, and 15 months after randomization. (phase III) * Compare the efficacy of these treatments in these patients in increasing unstimulated (i.e., basal primed) WSP, as measured by sialometry at 4, 6, 9, and 15 months after randomization. (phase III) * Compare adverse events associated with these treatments in these patients. (phase III) OUTLINE: This is a phase II followed by a phase III multicenter study. * Phase II:Patients undergo placement of surface electrodes at the following acupuncture points: large intestine, spleen, stomach, and conception vessel. Patients then undergo acupuncture-like transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (ALTENS) to each of these points using the Codetron™ unit for 20 minutes twice weekly for 12 weeks. No further treatment is given after 12 weeks. * Phase III:Patients are stratified according to prior use of pilocarpine (no vs yes) and length of time from completion of chemotherapy and/or radiotherapy (3-6 months vs 6-12 months vs \> 12 months). Patients are randomized to 1 of 2 treatment arms. * Arm I: Patients receive oral pilocarpine three times daily for up to 12 weeks in the absence of disease progression or unacceptable toxicity. * Arm II: Patients undergo ALTENS treatment using the Codetron™ unit twice weekly for up to 12 weeks in the absence of disease progression or unacceptable toxicity. Patients undergo quality of life (QOL) assessment at baseline and at 6 months after registration in phase II. In phase III patients complete assessments for basal and stimulated whole salivary production, xerostomia burden, and QOL at baseline and at 4, 6, 9, and 15 months after study entry. After completion of study therapy, patients are followed at 3 months. PROJECTED ACCRUAL: A total of 45 patients will be accrued to the phase II portion and 144 patients to the phase III portion of this study.