RATIONALE: Radiation therapy uses high-energy x-rays to kill tumor cells. Giving radiation therapy in higher doses over a shorter period of time may kill more tumor cells and have fewer side effects. Drugs used in chemotherapy, such as cisplatin, work in different ways to stop the growth of tumor cells, either by killing the cells or by stopping them from dividing. Monoclonal antibodies, such as panitumumab, can block tumor growth in different ways. Some block the ability of tumor cells to grow and spread. Others find tumor cells and help kill them or carry tumor-killing substances to them. It is not yet known whether giving standard radiation therapy together with high-dose cisplatin is more effective than giving higher-dose radiation therapy together with panitumumab in treating patients with locally advanced head and neck cancer.