Gene Therapy in Preventing Cancer in Patients With Premalignant Carcinoma of the Oral Cavity or Pharynx

Inclusion Criteria: * Histologically confirmed mild to moderate dysplasia OR severe dysplasia/carcinoma in situ of the oral cavity or oral pharynx * Clinically evident diffuse premalignant disease, defined by 1 of the following mucosal abnormalities: * Extension between adjacent organ structures (e.g., lateral tongue, ventral tongue, and the floor of the mouth) * Extensive surface area, including the entire ventral tongue or floor of the mouth or buccal mucosa, in a velvety "indiscreet" pattern * Meets 1 of the following criteria: * Previously treated with conventional treatment (e.g., radiotherapy or surgery) for a prior head and neck malignancy * Failed biochemoprevention approaches for premalignant disease * Failed other therapeutic approaches for premalignant disease * No active squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck * Performance status - Karnofsky 70-100% * Absolute granulocyte count at least 2,000/mm\^3 * Platelet count at least 100,000/mm\^3 * Bilirubin no greater than 1.0 mg/dL * Creatinine no greater than 1.5 mg/dL * No hypertension (baseline blood pressure 140/90 mm Hg or higher) * Not pregnant or nursing * Negative pregnancy test * Fertile patients must use effective barrier contraception during and for 1 year after study participation * HIV-1 negative * No known contact with former tissue or organ transplantation recipients or individuals with severe immunodeficiency disease (acquired or congenital) during and for 28 days after study treatment * No prior malignancy within the past 2 years except nonmelanoma skin cancer or aerodigestive cancer * No active systemic viral, bacterial, or fungal infections requiring treatment * No serious concurrent illness that would preclude study compliance and follow-up * No psychological, familial, sociological, geographical, or other condition that would preclude study compliance and follow-up * See Disease Characteristics * More than 21 days since prior chemotherapy (42 days for mitomycin and nitrosoureas) * No concurrent systemic chemotherapy * No concurrent prednisone or the equivalent, including corticosteroids of more than 10 mg/day * See Disease Characteristics * More than 3 months since prior radiotherapy involving the lesion selected for this study * No concurrent radiotherapy * See Disease Characteristics * More than 8 weeks since prior investigational agents * No prior experimental therapy (i.e., oral, systemic, topical, or direct injection) for the lesion selected for treatment in this study * No other concurrent immunosuppressive therapy * No other concurrent investigational agents * No concurrent aspirin dose greater than 175 mg/day