Perifosine in Treating Patients With Recurrent or Metastatic Head and Neck Cancer

You may be eligible if

• DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS:
• Histologically or cytologically confirmed squamous cell cancer of the head and neck
• * Metastatic or recurrent disease
• * Not amenable to surgery or radiotherapy
• Unidimensionally measurable disease
• * At least 1 lesion at least 20 mm by conventional techniques OR at least 10 mm by CT scan
• No known brain metastases
• PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS:
• Age
• 18 and over
• Performance status
• ECOG 0-2 OR
• Karnofsky 60-100%
• Life expectancy
• More than 3 months
• Hematopoietic
• WBC at least 3,000/mm\^3
• Absolute neutrophil count at least 1,500/mm\^3
• Platelet count at least 100,000/mm\^3
• Hepatic
• Bilirubin normal
• AST/ALT no greater than 2.5 times upper limit of normal
• Renal
• Creatinine normal OR
• Creatinine clearance at least 60 mL/min
• Cardiovascular
• No symptomatic congestive heart failure
• No unstable angina pectoris
• No cardiac arrhythmia
• Other
• Not pregnant or nursing
• Negative pregnancy test
• Fertile patients must use effective contraception
• No history of allergic reaction attributed to compounds of similar chemical or biological composition to perifosine
• No ongoing or active infection
• No other concurrent uncontrolled illness
• No psychiatric illness or social situation that would limit compliance with study requirements
• PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY:
• Biologic therapy
• No more than 1 prior biologic/targeted regimen for recurrent or metastatic disease
• Chemotherapy
• No more than 1 prior adjuvant or neoadjuvant chemotherapy and/or concurrent chemoradiotherapy regimen
• No more than 1 prior chemotherapy regimen for recurrent or metastatic disease
• At least 4 weeks since prior chemotherapy (6 weeks for nitrosoureas or mitomycin)
• Radiotherapy
• At least 4 weeks since prior radiotherapy
• Other
• Recovered from prior therapy
• No concurrent combination antiretroviral therapy for HIV-positive patients
• No other concurrent investigational agents
• No other concurrent anticancer agents or therapies