Sunitinib, Cetuximab, and Radiation Therapy in Treating Patients With Locally Advanced or Recurrent Squamous Cell Carcinoma of the Head and Neck

Inclusion Criteria: * Histologically or cytologically confirmed squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck, meeting any of the following criteria: * Recurrent disease * Second primary locoregional recurrence\* with no clinically measurable distant disease * Poor prognosis non-metastatic head and neck carcinoma (M0) * Must have undergone radiotherapy as a component of prior treatment * Not a candidate for surgical resection with curative intent * Patients with high-risk features at resection or following resection for recurrence are eligible * Must have locoregional tumor amenable to radiotherapy or reirradiation with curative intent * Entire gross tumor recurrence volume must be able to be treated without exceeding a cumulative spinal cord dose of 50 Gy * Unresected tumors must be measurable according to RECIST * No known brain metastases * ECOG performance status (PS) 0-2 OR Karnofsky PS 60-100% * Life expectancy \> 12 weeks * WBC ≥ 3,000/mm\^³ * ANC \> 1,500/mm³ * Platelet count \> 100,000/mm³ * Total bilirubin \< 1.5 times upper limit of normal (ULN) * INR and PTT ratio \< 1.5 * AST and ALT ≤ 2.5 times ULN * Creatinine normal OR creatinine clearance \> 60 mL/min * Urine protein no more than trace * Hematocrit ≥ 28% * Hemoglobin ≥ 9 g/dL * QTc \< 500 msec * Not pregnant or nursing * Negative pregnancy test * Fertile patients must use effective contraception * The following patients are eligible provided they have New York Heart Association class II cardiac f…