Study Evaluating a Stereotactic Boost/Treatment for Recurrent or Metastatic Cancer of the Head and Neck

This research study is a Phase I clinical trial, which tests the safety of an investigational intervention and also tries to define the appropriate dose of the investigational intervention to use for further studies. "Investigational" means that the intervention is being studied. Stereotactic body radiation was developed as imaging and treatment capabilities on radiation treatment machines became more accurate and more precise. Like standard radiation therapy, stereotactic body radiation kills tumor cells by causing small breaks in the DNA of these cells. In this research study, the investigators are looking for the highest dose of the stereotactic radiation that can be given safely either alone, or as a 'boost dose' in combination with standard radiation and chemotherapy. Because stereotactic radiation is so precise, the investigators are testing whether it can be used to increase the dose to the primary tumor without significantly increasing the side effects; the goal is to improve the likelihood of killing the tumor and, in some cases, to complete the course of radiation in a shorter amount of time.