Oxaliplatin and Capecitabine in Treating Patients With Relapsed or Metastatic Head and Neck Cancer

DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS: * Histologically or cytologically confirmed head and neck cancer * Relapsed or metastatic disease * Measurable disease * No CNS metastases (unless CNS metastases have been stable for \> 3 months) * No clinically significant pericardial effusion PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS: * ECOG performance status 0-2 * Life expectancy \> 3 months * Absolute granulocyte count \> 1,500/mm³ * Platelet count \> 100,000/mm³ * Bilirubin \< 2.0 times upper limit of normal (ULN) * AST or ALT \< 2.5 times ULN * Alkaline phosphatase \< 2.5 times ULN (5 times ULN if liver metastases are present or 10 times ULN if bone disease is present) * Creatinine clearance ≥ 30 mL/min * Not pregnant or nursing * Negative pregnancy test * Fertile patients must use effective contraception during and for 30 days after completion of study treatment * No clinically serious, uncontrolled cardiovascular disease * No New York Heart Association class III-IV heart disease * No myocardial infarction within the past 6 months * No congestive heart failure * No unstable angina * No arrhythmia * No concurrent serious, uncontrolled infections * No other cancer requiring treatment within the past 5 years, except cured nonmelanoma skin cancer or treated in situ cervical cancer * No loss of physical integrity of the upper gastrointestinal tract or malabsorption syndrome * No history of persistent neurosensory disorder including, but not limited to, peripheral neuropathy * No history of uncontrolled seizures or CNS disorders * No history of psychiatric disability or other serious uncontrolled medical condition that would preclude study compliance * No history of clinically significant interstitial lung disease and/or pulmonary fibrosis * No prior hypersensitivity or unanticipated severe reaction to fluoropyrimidine therapy, fluorouracil, or platinum-based compounds PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY: * No prior chemotherapy for metastatic or relapsed disease * More than 4 weeks since prior major surgery and recovered * More than 4 weeks since prior participation in any investigational drug study * At least 6 months since prior adjuvant fluoropyrimidine therapy * No other prior fluoropyrimidines * At least 6 months since prior adjuvant platinum-based therapy * No other prior platinum-based therapy * No concurrent radiotherapy to the head and neck * No other concurrent chemotherapy