Radiation Therapy, Amifostine, and Chemotherapy in Treating Young Patients With Newly Diagnosed Nasopharyngeal Cancer

Inclusion Criteria: * Histological diagnosis of nasopharyngeal carcinoma WHO type II or III * Stage I-IV disease * Newly diagnosed disease * Performance status * Patients ≤ 16 years of age: Lansky 60-100% * Patients \> 16 years of age: Karnofsky 60-100% * Creatinine clearance or radioisotope glomerular filtration rate ≥ 70 mL/min * Creatinine based on age/gender as follows: * No greater than 0.4 mg/dL (for patients 1 month to \< 6 months of age) * No greater than 0.5 mg/dL (for patients 6 months to \< 1 year of age) * No greater than 0.6 mg/dL (for patients 1-2 years of age) * No greater than 0.8 mg/dL (for patients \< 6 years of age) * No greater than 1.0mg/dL (for patients 6 to \< 10 years of age) * No greater than 1.2 mg/dL (for patients 10 to \< 13 years of age) * No greater than 1.4 mg/dL (for female patients 13 to ≥ 16 years of age) * No greater than 1.5 mg/dL (for male patients 13 to \< 16 years of age) * No greater than 1.7 mg/dL (for male patients ≥ 16 years of age) * Bilirubin ≤ 1.5 times upper limit of normal (ULN) for age * AST or ALT \< 2.5 times ULN for age * Not pregnant or nursing * Negative pregnancy test * Fertile patients must use effective contraception * No prior chemotherapy or radiotherapy to the nasopharynx or neck for the treatment of nasopharyngeal carcinoma