Radiation Therapy With or Without Chemotherapy in Treating Patients With High-Risk Malignant Salivary Gland Tumors That Have Been Removed By Surgery

DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS:

   - Pathologically proven diagnosis of a malignant major salivary gland tumor or malignant
   minor salivary gland tumor of the head and neck of the following histologic subtypes:

      - Intermediate-grade adenocarcinoma or intermediate-grade mucoepidermoid carcinoma

      - High-grade acinic cell carcinoma or high-grade (>30% solid component) adenoid
      cystic carcinoma

   - Surgical resection with curative intent within 8 weeks prior to registration

   - All patients must have a Medical Oncology evaluation within 4 weeks prior to
   registration

   - Pathologic stage T3-4 or N1-3 or T1-2, N0 with a close (≤ 1mm) or microscopically
   positive surgical margin; patients must be free of distant metastases based upon the
   following minimum diagnostic workup:

      - History/physical examination within 8 weeks prior to registration

      - Radiologic confirmation of the absence of hematogenous metastasis within 12 weeks
      prior to registration; at a minimum, contrast CT imaging of the chest is required
      (PET/CT is acceptable)

   - No patients with residual macroscopic disease after surgery

   - No prior systemic chemotherapy or radiation therapy for salivary gland malignancy

PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS:

   - Zubrod performance status 0-1

   - Absolute neutrophil count (ANC) ≥ 1,800 cells/mm^3

   - Platelets ≥ 100,000 cells/mm^3

   - Hemoglobin ≥ 8.0 g/dL (the use of transfusion or other intervention to achieve
   hemoglobin ≥ 8.0 g/dL is acceptable)

   - Serum creatinine < 2.0 mg/dL

   - Total bilirubin < 2 x the institutional upper limit of normal (ULN)

   - Aspartate aminotransferase (AST) or alanine aminotransferase (ALT) < 3 x the
   institutional ULN

   - Negative serum pregnancy test within 2 weeks prior to registration for women of
   childbearing potential

   - Women of childbearing potential and male participants who are sexually active must
   practice adequate contraception during treatment and for 6 weeks following treatment

   - Not pregnant or nursing

   - Patients must be deemed able to comply with the treatment plan and follow-up schedule

   - Patients must provide study specific informed consent prior to study entry, including
   consent for mandatory tissue submission for central review

   - No prior invasive malignancy (except non-melanomatous skin cancer) unless disease free
   for a minimum of 3 years (for example, carcinoma in situ of the breast, oral cavity,
   or cervix are all permissible)

   - No severe, active co-morbidity, defined as follows:

      - Unstable angina and/or congestive heart failure requiring hospitalization within
      the last 6 months

      - Transmural myocardial infarction within the last 6 months

      - Acute bacterial or fungal infection requiring intravenous antibiotics at the time
      of registration

      - Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease exacerbation or other respiratory illness
      requiring hospitalization or precluding study therapy at the time of registration

      - Hepatic insufficiency resulting in clinical jaundice and/or coagulation defects
      (coagulation parameters are not required for entry into this protocol)

      - Acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS) based upon current Centers for Disease
      Control (CDC) definition (HIV testing is not required for entry into this
      protocol)

         - Protocol-specific requirements may also exclude immunocompromised patients

      - Pre-existing ≥ grade 2 neuropathy

   - No significant pre-existing hearing loss, as defined by the patient or treating
   physician

PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY:

   - See Disease Characteristics

   - No prior systemic chemotherapy or radiation therapy for salivary gland malignancy
   (prior chemotherapy for a different cancer is allowable)

   - No prior radiotherapy to the region of the study cancer that would result in overlap
   of radiation therapy fields

   - No prior organ transplant

   - No concurrent hematopoietic growth factors (e.g., G-CSF or pegfilgrastim) during
   radiotherapy

   - No concurrent erythropoiesis-stimulating agents