OBJECTIVES: I. Assess the impact of amifostine on the acute tolerance of combined hyperfractionated radiation therapy and fluorouracil, cisplatin, and paclitaxel with amifostine, in terms of the grade and duration of acute mucositis and dermatitis, and acute hematologic tolerance in patients with stage III or IV unresectable head and neck carcinoma. II. Determine the local control and survival associated with this regimen in these patients. III. Determine the long term chronic toxic effects of this regimen in terms of swallowing dysfunction, PEG dependency, and xerostomia in these patients. IV. Determine the quality of life post therapy by assessment of speech and swallowing function in these patients. V. Determine if radiation dose escalation in patients with treatment interruption achieve an isoeffect on locoregional control. VI. Determine the safe optimal dose of paclitaxel to be combined with hyperfractionated radiation therapy, fluorouracil, cisplatin, and amifostine in these patients. VII. Determine the correlation of p53 chromosome expression on locoregional control and survival of these patients. VIII. Quantitate tumor volumetrics and correlate with stage, resectability status, and locoregional control and survival of these patients.