Erlotinib in Treating Patients With Metastatic and/or Recurrent Head and Neck Cancer

Inclusion criteria

DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS: * Histologically confirmed squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck * Metastatic and/or locally recurrent disease * No undifferentiated and nonkeratinizing carcinomas, including lymphoepitheliomas of all locations, as well as tumors of the parotid gland * WHO Type I squamous cell carcinoma of the nasopharynx are allowed * Incurable with surgery or radiotherapy * Measurable disease, defined as ≥ 1 target lesion ≥ 20 mm OR ≥ 10 mm on spiral CT scan * If the only site of measurable disease is in a previously irradiated area, the patient must have documented progressive disease by tomography or biopsy-proven residual carcinoma * No symptomatic brain metastases that are not stable, are not adequately controlled with fixed-dose oral steroids, are potentially life-threatening, or have required radiotherapy within the last 14 days PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS: * ECOG performance status 0-2 * Predicted life expectancy ≥ 12 weeks * Absolute neutrophil count ≥ 1,500/mm\^3 * Platelet count ≥ 100,000/mm\^3 * Bilirubin ≤ 1.5 times upper limit of normal (ULN) * AST and/or ALT ≤ 2.5 times ULN * Creatinine ≤ 1.5 times ULN * Not pregnant or nursing * Negative pregnancy test * Fertile patients must practice effective contraceptive measures * No other prior malignancy within the past 3 years except for adequately treated basal cell or squamous cell skin cancer or in situ cervical cancer * No active or uncontrolled infection or other serious illnesses or medical conditions * No history of any psychiatric condition that might impair the patient's ability to understand or to comply with the requirements of the study or to provide informed consent PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY: * See Disease Characteristics * No more than two prior chemotherapy regimens for locally recurrent and/or metastatic disease * Prior induction chemotherapy or chemoradiotherapy with curative intent for local disease allowed provided patient has received no more than two prior chemotherapy regimens for recurrent disease * Prior therapy must have been completed a minimum of 14 days prior to study AND patient has recovered * No prior molecular-directed therapies, such as tyrosine kinase inhibitors and/or monoclonal antibodies * At least 14 days must have elapsed between the end of radiotherapy and study registration and recovered * At least 14 days since prior surgery AND wound healing has occurred * At least 7 days since prior herbal extracts and tinctures with CYP3A inhibitory activity, including any of the following: * Hydrastis canadensis (goldenseal) * Uncaria tomentosa (cat's claw) * Echinacea angustifolia roots * Trifolium pratense (wild cherry) * Matricaria chamomilla (chamomile) * Glycyrrhiza glabra (licorice) * Dillapiol * Naringenin * No other concurrent anticancer therapy or other investigational agents * No concurrent administration of any of the following: * Phenytoin * Carbamazepine * Rifampicin * Barbiturates * Hypericum perforatum (St. John's wort) * CYP3A inhibitors (e.g., itraconazole)