RATIONALE: Diagnostic procedures using the drug EF5 to detect the presence of oxygen in tumor cells may help to plan effective treatment for solid tumors.

PURPOSE: Phase II trial to compare diagnostic procedures using EF5 to that of other methods of detecting oxygen levels in tumor cells of patients who have head and neck cancer.

OBJECTIVES:

• Determine the distribution, degree, and intrapatient and interpatient heterogeneity of hypoxia, as measured by EF5 binding in tumor tissue, in patients with head and neck cancer.
• Determine the distribution and intrapatient and interpatient heterogeneity of CA9 expression, as measured immunohistochemically, in these patients.
• Determine the distribution, concentration, and intrapatient and interpatient heterogeneity of glucose and lactate, as measured by bioluminescence imaging, in these patients.
• Determine whether there is spatial coordination between concentrations of lactate and glucose and the location of tissue hypoxia in these patients.
• Determine whether there is spatial coordination between the location of CA9 with hypoxia and/or lactate concentrations in these patients.

OUTLINE: Patients receive EF5 IV over 1-2.5 hours on day 1. Within 24-55 hours after EF5 infusion, patients undergo surgery.

Tumor tissue samples are examined for EF5 binding by immunohistochemistry, bioluminescence imaging, and flow cytometry.

Patients are followed at 1 month and then for survival.

PROJECTED ACCRUAL: Approximately 20 patients will be accrued for this study within 1 year.

DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS:

• Histologically confirmed squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck
• Clinically detectable disease by physical examination or radiographic studies
• Scheduled to undergo surgical resection of tumor or radiotherapeutic treatment

PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS:

Age

• 18 and over

Performance status

• Karnofsky 70-100%

Life expectancy

• Not specified

Hematopoietic

• WBC greater than 3,000/mm^3
• Platelet count greater than 100,000/mm^3

Hepatic

• Bilirubin no greater than 1.5 mg/dL

Renal

• Creatinine no greater than 1.8 mg/dL

Other

• No allergy to IV contrast dye
• No prior grade III or IV peripheral neuropathy
• Not pregnant or nursing
• Negative pregnancy test
• Fertile patients must use effective contraception during and for 1 week after study participation

PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY:

Biologic therapy

• Not specified

Chemotherapy

• Not specified

Endocrine therapy

• Not specified

Radiotherapy

• See Disease Characteristics
• Concurrent radiotherapy allowed

Surgery

• See Disease Characteristics