L-lysine in Treating Oral Mucositis in Patients Undergoing Radiation Therapy With or Without Chemotherapy For Head and Neck Cancer

Inclusion Criteria: * Cytologically or pathologically proven cancer of the oropharynx, lip, oral cavity, larynx, hypopharynx, nasopharynx, and salivary glands * Predicted life expectancy greater than 12 weeks * Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group (ECOG) Performance Status 0-2 * Renal function with a calculated creatinine clearance of 55 ml/min or greater, per Cockcroft-Gault formula * Patients undergoing radiation therapy with or without concurrent chemotherapy * Ability to understand and the willingness to sign a written informed consent document Exclusion Criteria * Use of illicit drugs, alcohol abuse, or tobacco abuse during treatment * Subjects may not be receiving other investigational agents * Inability or unwillingness to comply with radiation therapy and chemotherapy regimens * Inability or unwillingness to take daily L-Lysine supplementation as prescribed * Use of arginine supplementation * History of renal failure or compromise