Thalidomide in Treating Patients With Recurrent or Metastatic Head and Neck Cancer

DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS: * Histologically proven squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck * Recurrent disease OR metastatic disease at initial diagnosis or at recurrence * Initial therapy of surgery and/or radiotherapy, induction chemotherapy, or concurrent chemotherapy and radiotherapy allowed * No more than one prior regimen of chemotherapy or biologic therapy for metastatic disease * Recurrence after adjuvant or induction chemotherapy may have received one additional course of chemotherapy or biologic therapy PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS: * Age: 18 and over * Performance status: Zubrod 0-2 * Life expectancy: At least 3 months * WBC at least 3000/mm3 * Platelet count at least 100,000/mm3 * Hematocrit at least 30% * Bilirubin no greater than 1.5 times normal * SGOT/SGPT no greater than 1.5 times normal * Creatinine no greater than 1.5 mg/dL * Not pregnant or nursing * Negative pregnancy test * Fertile women must use 2 methods of effective contraception, 1 barrier and 1 hormonal, beginning at least 4 weeks before study and continuing during and for 1 month after study * Men must use effective barrier contraception during and for 1 month after study * No grade 2 or greater peripheral neuropathy * No serious infection or other concurrent illness requiring immediate therapy * Must be able to take oral medications * No medical or social factors that would interfere with compliance PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY: * Any number of courses of one regimen of chemotherapy allowed * No concurrent cytotoxic chemotherapy * No concurrent radiotherapy