Cetuximab, Carboplatin, and Paclitaxel Followed by Radiation Therapy, With or Without Cisplatin, in Treating Patients With Metastatic Head and Neck Cancer

Inclusion Criteria: Patients with histological proof (from the primary lesion and/or lymph nodes) of squamous cell carcinoma of the oral cavity, oropharynx, nasopharynx, hypopharynx, or larynx. Patients should have stage IV disease, stage T0-4 N2b/2c/3 M0 (for nasopharynx patients, stage N1 disease is eligible). Measurable disease by Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumors (RECIST) is required. Patients with stage Tx primary disease are eligible if there is N2b/3 adenopathy. Karnofsky performance status of >/= 80 or Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group (ECOG) point scale 0-1 Age > 16 years Patients should have adequate bone marrow function defined as an absolute peripheral granulocyte count (AGC) of > 1500 cells/mm3 and platelet count of > 100,000 cells/mm3; adequate hepatic function with bilirubin </= Upper Limit of Normal (ULN), aspartate aminotransferase (AST or SGOT) and alanine aminotransferase (ALT or SGPT) may be up to 2.5 times the upper limit of normal if alkaline phosphatase is normal. Alkaline phosphatase may be up to 4* ULN if SGPT and SGOT are normal. Patients who have both SGPT and SGOT > 1.5 ULN and alkaline phosphatase > 2.5 * ULN are not eligible. Normal PT/PTT and normal serum calcium (without intervention) are required. Creatinine clearance > 40 ml/min determined by 24 hour collection or nomogram: CrCl male = (140 - age) times (weight in kg)/serum Cr times 72 CrCl female = 0.85 times (CrCl male) Patients should have no serious acute or chronic co-morbid condition, or acute infection. Patients must sign a study-specific informed consent form. Exclusion Criteria: Histology other than squamous cell carcinoma. Evidence of distant metastases (below the clavicle) by clinical or radiographic means. Karnofsky performance status < 80 or ECOG>1 Prior chemotherapy, within the previous 3 years. Prior radiotherapy to the head and neck. Prior cetuximab therapy, prior therapy with any other drug that targets the EGFR pathway, or prior therapy with a murine or chimeric monoclonal antibody. Initial surgical resection rendering the patient clinically and radiologically disease free. Simultaneous primary invasive cancers. Patients with another malignancy (excluding non melanoma skin cancers, and cancers treated > 3 years prior for which patient remains continuously disease free). Women of childbearing potential (WOCBP) who are unwilling or unable to use an acceptable method to avoid pregnancy for the entire study period and for up to 4 weeks after the study. Subjects who are men must also agree to use effective contraception. WOCBP must have a negative serum or urine pregnancy test (minimum sensitivity 25 IU/L or equivalent units of human chorionic gonadotropin (HCG)) within 72 hours prior to the start of study medication. WOCBP using a prohibited contraceptive method. Women who are pregnant or breastfeeding. Women with a positive pregnancy test on enrollment or prior to study drug administration. Refusal to sign the informed consent. Pre-existing peripheral neuropathy Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events (CTCAE) grade 2 or worse.