Nab-Paclitaxel, Cetuximab, Cisplatin, and Radiation Therapy in Treating Patients With Recurrent Head and Neck Cancer

DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS: * Pathologically confirmed squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) of the upper aerodigestive tract * Recurrent disease or second primary SCC * Recurrence or second primary must be confined to the head and neck above the clavicles (loco-regional recurrence) * Majority (≥ 75%) of the recurrent tumor must be in areas previously irradiated to ≥ 45 Gy * More than one recurrence allowed provided the first recurrence occurred \> 6 months after the completion of prior radiotherapy * Unresectable disease OR has high-risk features after resection (e.g., positive margins and/or extracapsular extension) * No signs of carotid exposure * No primary nasopharyngeal or salivary gland tumor * Equivocal pulmonary nodes on chest CT scan allowed provided they are \< 1 cm, cannot be safely biopsied, or are negative on PET scan * No distant metastasis PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS: * Karnofsky performance status 70-100% * ANC ≥ 2,000/mm\^3 * Platelet count ≥ 100,000/mm\^3 * Hemoglobin ≥ 8.0 g/dL (transfusion or other intervention allowed) * Bilirubin \< 1.5 mg/dL * AST or ALT \< 2 times upper limit of normal * Creatinine clearance ≥ 50 mL/min * Not pregnant or nursing * Negative pregnancy test * Fertile patients must use effective contraception * Able to submit prior radiotherapy records to assure that the spinal cord tolerance is not exceeded * No active cardiac disease, including any of the following: * Unstable angina * Uncontrolled hypertension * Myocardial infarct…