RATIONALE: Drugs used in chemotherapy use different ways to stop tumor cells from dividing so they stop growing or die. Combining more than one drug may kill more tumor cells. It is not yet known whether cisplatin plus fluorouracil are more effective than paclitaxel plus cisplatin in treating patients with advanced head and neck cancer.

PURPOSE: Randomized phase III trial to compare the effectiveness of two combination chemotherapy regimens in treating patients with advanced head and neck cancer.

OBJECTIVES: I. Compare the response rate, toxicity, quality-of-life, and overall survival at 1 year in patients with advanced head and neck carcinomas when treated with paclitaxel and cisplatin vs cisplatin and fluorouracil. II. Compare these regimens in terms of quality of life and correlate quality of life to toxicity in these patients. III. Compare these regimens in terms of pain intensity and correlate pain with quality of life and toxicity in these patients.

OUTLINE: This is a randomized study. Patients are stratified by disease status, performance status, and participating institution. Patients are randomized to one of two treatment arms. Arm I: Patients receive cisplatin IV over 30-120 minutes on day 1 and fluorouracil IV over 96 hours on days 1-4. Courses repeat every 3 weeks in the absence of disease progression or unacceptable toxicity. Arm II: Patients receive paclitaxel IV over 3 hours followed by cisplatin IV over 30-120 minutes on day 1. Courses repeat every 3 weeks in the absence of disease progression or unacceptable toxicity. Treatment continues until 2 courses past complete response (minimum of 6 courses). Patients with stable disease may discontinue treatment after 6 courses. Patients are followed every 3 months until disease progression.

PROJECTED ACCRUAL: A total of 212 patients will be accrued for this study over 2.25 years.

DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS: Histologically confirmed squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck considered incurable by surgery or radiotherapy Newly diagnosed extensive locoregional disease or distant metastases Locoregionally recurrent or persistent disease, or distant metastases occurring after initial surgery or radiotherapy No nasopharyngeal carcinoma No history of brain metastases Measurable or evaluable disease Documented progressive disease or biopsy-proven residual carcinoma required if sole measurable site previously irradiated

PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS: Age: 18 and over Performance status: ECOG 0 or 1 Hematopoietic: ANC at least 1,500/mm3 Hemoglobin at least 10 g/dL (transfusion allowed) Hepatic: Bilirubin less than 1.5 mg/dL AST/ALT no greater than twice normal Alkaline phosphatase no greater than twice normal Renal: Creatinine no greater than 1.2 mg/dL OR Creatinine clearance at least 50 mL/min Calcium normal No history of hypercalcemia Cardiovascular: No congestive heart failure No serious arrhythmia requiring medication No myocardial infarction within 6 months No medications known to alter cardiac conduction (i.e., lanoxin, beta or calcium channel blockers) Other: No significant detectable or occult infection Complete evaluation required if elevated WBC (12,000 or greater) or fever (101.6 F or higher) No hypersensitivity to E. coli-derived proteins No allergy to drugs utilizing Cremophor No other malignancy within 3 years except curatively treated nonmelanomatous skin cancer or carcinoma in situ of the cervix Not pregnant Negative pregnancy test Fertile patients must use effective contraception Must complete quality of life and pain assessments at required intervals

PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY: Biologic therapy: Not specified Chemotherapy: No prior chemotherapy for recurrent disease At least 12 months since induction or neoadjuvant chemotherapy with paclitaxel or fluorouracil (6 months since cisplatin) Endocrine therapy: Not specified Radiotherapy: See Disease Characteristics Surgery: Recovered from major surgery