Docetaxel and Capecitabine for First Line Treatment of Metastatic Squamous Cell Carcinoma of the Head & Neck

Inclusion Criteria: * Histologically confirmed recurrent or metastatic squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck. * Recurrent/metastatic disease not amenable to surgery or salvage chemoradiation. * Unidimensional measurable disease according to the RECIST * In-field recurrence, within a prior radiation field only, distant metastatic disease * Both in-field and metastatic sites of disease will require evaluation by a Radiation Oncologist to consider local radiation therapy first and will be eligible for possible enrollment one month after completion of the radiation therapy. * Negative pregnancy test * Patients may have received prior chemotherapy as part of chemoradiation or induction chemotherapy for initial treatment of disease confined to the head and neck region - Patients must have fully recovered from any prior radiation therapy Exclusion Criteria: * Patients who have relapsed \< 6 months after completing a combined modality curative treatment that included a fluoropyrimidine or taxanes * No brain metastases * No major neurological disease, including stroke * No prior chemotherapy regimen for recurrent/metastatic disease * No prior history of capecitabine usage * No prior history of docetaxel usage except in the induction setting for head and neck cancer which has been completed for greater than 6 months prior to beginning protocol therapy * No past hypersensitivity to taxanes or 5 FU * No hypersensitivity to docetaxel or other drugs formulated with polysorbate 80 * No current use of warfarin * Patients must not be receiving ketoconazole, midazolam, erythromycin, orphenadrine, troleandomycin, cyclosporine or antiepileptics * Patients must not be treated with any of the following on protocol therapy or within 28 days prior to beginning protocol therapy: sorivudine, brivudine, cimetidine, allopurinol * Patients must have fully recovered from any prior surgery * No known HIV seropositivity. * No serious uncontrolled medical condition, uncontrolled peptic ulcer disease or malabsorption syndrome * No peripheral neuropathy \> grade 1 * Patients with a percutaneous gastrostomy (PEG) must be able take medications by tube. * No daily consumption of alcohol * No active infection * No prior history of malignancy in the last 5 years, excluding in situ carcinoma of the cervix or adequately treated basal or squamous cell carcinoma of the skin or Gleason Grade \< VII organ confined prostate cancer. * No current breastfeeding