Viral Therapy In Treating Patients With Recurrent or Metastatic Squamous Cell Carcinoma of the Head and Neck Cancer or Metastatic Breast Cancer

PRIMARY OBJECTIVES: I. To determine the maximally tolerated dose (MTD) of intratumoral administration of an Edmonston strain measles virus genetically engineered to express human thyroidal sodium-iodide symporter (NIS) (oncolytic measles virus encoding thyroidal sodium iodide symporter \[MV-NIS\]) in patients with recurrent/metastatic squamous cell head and neck cancer. II. To determine the safety and toxicity of intratumoral administration of MV-NIS in patients with recurrent/metastatic squamous cell head and neck cancer and metastatic breast cancer. SECONDARY OBJECTIVES: I. To assess in a preliminary fashion antitumor efficacy of this approach by following, radiographic response, and time to progression. TERTIARY OBJECTIVES: I. To determine the time course of viral gene expression and virus elimination and biodistribution of virally infected cells at various time points after infection with MV-NIS using single-photon emission computed tomography (SPECT)/computed tomography (CT) imaging. II. To assess viremia, viral replication, and measles virus shedding/persistence following intratumoral administration. III. To determine humoral and cellular immune response to the injected virus. OUTLINE: This is a dose-escalation study. Patients receive oncolytic measles virus encoding thyroidal sodium iodide symporter intratumorally (IT) on day 1. After completion of study treatment, patients are followed up at 6 weeks, every 3 months for 1 year, and then every 6 months for 1 year.