Capecitabine and Vorinostat in Treating Patients With Recurrent and/or Metastatic Head and Neck Cancer

PRIMARY OBJECTIVES: I. To determine the objective response rate (complete and partial) and duration of response of the combination of vorinostat and capecitabine in patients with recurrent and/or metastatic squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck (SCCHN). (SCCHN) II. To determine the objective response rate (complete and partial) and duration of response of the combination of vorinostat and capecitabine in patients with recurrent and/or metastatic nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC). (NPC) SECONDARY OBJECTIVES: I. To evaluate the safety and tolerability of the combination of vorinostat and capecitabine in patients with recurrent and/or metastatic SCCHN. (SCCHN) II. To determine the rate of progression-free survival (PFS) at 6 months. (SCCHN) III. To determine the rate and duration of stable disease (SD). (SCCHN) IV. To determine the median PFS, and the rate of PFS at 1 year. (SCCHN) V. To determine the median overall survival (OS), and rates of overall survival at 6 months and at 1 year. (SCCHN) VI. To evaluate the safety and tolerability of the combination of vorinostat and capecitabine in patients with recurrent and/or metastatic NPC. (NPC) VII. To determine the duration of objective response. (NPC) VIII. To determine the rate and duration of stable disease (SD). (NPC) IX. To determine the median PFS, and the rate of PFS at 1 year. (NPC) X. To determine the median overall survival (OS), and rates of overall survival at 6 months and at 1 year. (NPC) OUTLINE: This is a non-randomized, open-label study of patients with SCCHN and NPC (Stage I), followed by a randomized study of patients with NPC (Stage II). STAGE I: Patients receive capecitabine orally (PO) twice daily (BID) and vorinostat PO daily on days 1-14. Courses repeat every 21 days in the absence of disease progression or unacceptable toxicity. STAGE II: Patients with NPC are randomized to 1 of 2 treatment arms. ARM I: Patients receive capecitabine PO BID and vorinostat PO daily on days 1-14. Courses repeat every 21 days in the absence of disease progression or unacceptable toxicity. ARM II: Patients receive capecitabine PO BID on days 1-14. Courses repeat every 21 days in the absence of disease progression or unacceptable toxicity. After completion of study treatment, patients will be followed up at 3-4 weeks and then every 6 months for 1 year.