OBJECTIVES: I. Determine the response rate in patients with newly diagnosed or recurrent, advanced stage III or IV squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck treated with 6 infusions of cetuximab at loading/maintenance doses in combination with 2 infusions of cisplatin concurrent with standard/delayed accelerated hyperfractionated radiotherapy followed by 4 weeks of single agent cetuximab. II. Assess the safety profile of this treatment regimen in this patient population. III. Evaluate time to disease progression and survival in these patients treated with this regimen. IV. Assess the impact of this treatment regimen on the quality of life of these patients.