OUTLINE: Patients receive cetuximab IV on days 1 and 8 of course 1. Beginning in course 2 and all subsequent courses, patients receive cetuximab IV and cisplatin IV over 2 hours on day 1 and undergo radiotherapy once daily 5 days a week for 7 weeks. Treatment repeats every 7 days for a total of 8 courses in the absence of disease progression or unacceptable toxicity.