Gemcitabine and Docetaxel in Treating Patients With Persistent, Recurrent, or Metastatic Head and Neck Cancer

DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS: Histologically confirmed squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck Metastatic, persistent, or recurrent disease Measurable disease, defined as ≥ 1 unidimensionally measurable lesion ≥ 20 mm by conventional techniques OR ≥ 10 mm by spiral CT scan Must have had definitive surgery and/or radiation therapy AND received at least 1, but no more than 2, chemotherapy regimens, either given as primary therapy or adjuvant therapy before or after surgery and/or radiotherapy No active or prior CNS metastasis PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS: Age 18 and over Performance status SWOG 0-2 Life expectancy At least 12 weeks Hematopoietic Granulocyte count > 1,500/mm^3 Hemoglobin ≥ 8 g/dL Platelet count > 100,000/mm^3 Hepatic Bilirubin normal Meets 1 of the following criteria: Alkaline phosphatase (AP) normal AND AST or ALT ≤ 5 times upper limit of normal (ULN) AP ≤ 2.5 times ULN AND AST or ALT ≤ 1.5 times ULN AP ≤ 5 times ULN AND AST or ALT normal Renal Creatinine < 1.5 mg/dL Other Not pregnant or nursing Negative pregnancy test Fertile patients must use effective contraception during and for ≥ 3 months after completion of study treatment No peripheral neuropathy ≥ grade 2 No active infection requiring systemic therapy No other malignancy within the past 5 years except adequately treated basal cell or squamous cell skin cancer or carcinoma in situ of the cervix or any other site No history of severe hypersensitivity reaction to study drugs or other drugs formulated with polysorbate 80 No other serious condition that would preclude study treatment PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY: Biologic therapy Not specified Chemotherapy See Disease Characteristics No prior taxane or gemcitabine At least 4 weeks since prior chemotherapy and recovered Endocrine therapy Not specified Radiotherapy See Disease Characteristics At least 4 weeks since prior radiotherapy and recovered Surgery See Disease Characteristics Other No other concurrent therapy for this disease