Side Effects of High-Dose Intensity-Modulated Radiation Therapy in Treating Patients With Advanced Head and Neck Cancer

This is an observational trial for Head and Neck Cancer focused on measuring long-term effects secondary to cancer therapy in adults, oral complications of radiation therapy, radiation toxicity, stage III squamous cell carcinoma of the hypopharynx, stage IV squamous cell carcinoma of the hypopharynx, stage III squamous cell carcinoma of the larynx, stage III verrucous carcinoma of the larynx, stage IV squamous cell carcinoma of the larynx, stage IV verrucous carcinoma of the larynx, stage III lymphoepithelioma of the oropharynx, stage III squamous cell carcinoma of the oropharynx, stage IV lymphoepithelioma of the oropharynx, stage IV squamous cell carcinoma of the oropharynx, stage III basal cell carcinoma of the lip, stage III squamous cell carcinoma of the lip and oral cavity, stage IV basal cell carcinoma of the lip, stage IV squamous cell carcinoma of the lip and oral cavity, stage III adenoid cystic carcinoma of the oral cavity, stage III mucoepidermoid carcinoma of the oral cavity, stage III verrucous carcinoma of the oral cavity, stage IV adenoid cystic carcinoma of the oral cavity, stage IV mucoepidermoid carcinoma of the oral cavity, stage IV verrucous carcinoma of the oral cavity, metastatic squamous neck cancer with occult primary, stage III lymphoepithelioma of the nasopharynx, stage III squamous cell carcinoma of the nasopharynx, stage IV lymphoepithelioma of the nasopharynx, stage IV squamous cell carcinoma of the nasopharynx, stage III esthesioneuroblastoma of the paranasal sinus and nasal cavity, stage III inverted papilloma of the paranasal sinus and nasal cavity, stage III midline lethal granuloma of the paranasal sinus and nasal cavity, stage III squamous cell carcinoma of the paranasal sinus and nasal cavity, stage IV esthesioneuroblastoma of the paranasal sinus and nasal cavity, stage IV inverted papilloma of the paranasal sinus and nasal cavity, stage IV midline lethal granuloma of the paranasal sinus and nasal cavity, stage IV squamous cell carcinoma of the paranasal sinus and nasal cavity, stage III salivary gland cancer, stage IV salivary gland cancer, recurrent salivary gland cancer, recurrent lymphoepithelioma of the nasopharynx, recurrent lymphoepithelioma of the oropharynx, recurrent squamous cell carcinoma of the hypopharynx, recurrent squamous cell carcinoma of the larynx, recurrent squamous cell carcinoma of the nasopharynx, recurrent squamous cell carcinoma of the oropharynx, recurrent verrucous carcinoma of the larynx, recurrent adenoid cystic carcinoma of the oral cavity, recurrent mucoepidermoid carcinoma of the oral cavity, recurrent verrucous carcinoma of the oral cavity, recurrent esthesioneuroblastoma of the paranasal sinus and nasal cavity, recurrent inverted papilloma of the paranasal sinus and nasal cavity, recurrent midline lethal granuloma of the paranasal sinus and nasal cavity, recurrent squamous cell carcinoma of the paranasal sinus and nasal cavity, recurrent basal cell carcinoma of the lip, recurrent squamous cell carcinoma of the lip and oral cavity, recurrent metastatic squamous neck cancer with occult primary, untreated metastatic squamous neck cancer with occult primary Read More

DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS:

• Histologically confirmed advanced head and neck cancer

• Indication for radiotherapy or chemoradiotherapy as primary or postoperative therapy AND meets 1 of the following criteria:

  • More than 75% of bilateral parotid glands expected to receive ≥ 45 cGy of radiation using conventional treatment field design
  • Either or both central auditory apparatus predicted to receive > 45 cGy of radiation

PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS:

• No comorbid medical condition that would preclude radiotherapy
• No serious concurrent psychosocial, familial, sociological, geographical, or other condition that would preclude study compliance

PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY:

• See Disease Characteristics