Photodynamic Therapy With Porfimer Sodium in Treating Patients With Precancerous Lesions, Cancer, or Other Disease of the Aerodigestive Tract

DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS: * Diagnosis of 1 of the following: * Any of the following benign lesions: * Localized severe dysplasia, leukoplakia, erythroplakia, or other superficial lesions considered to be pre-malignant * Carcinoma in situ * Superficial (\< 1 cm depth of invasion) squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) of the oral cavity, oropharynx, or larynx * T1-T3 disease * Meets one of the following criteria: * Failed radiation therapy and refused standard salvage surgery * Refused radiation therapy and/or surgery as primary therapy * No good surgical alternative with acceptable morbidity * Condemned mucosa syndrome * At least one upper aerodigestive tract pre-malignant lesion, carcinoma in situ, or squamous cell carcinoma previously treated with surgery and/or radiation therapy with the development of another lesion not at the site of the previously treated areas PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS: * Creatinine ≤ 2 mg/dL * AST and ALT ≤ 30% elevated * Alkaline phosphatase ≤ 30% elevated * Bilirubin ≤ 1.0 mg/dL * No contraindication to anesthesia or analgesia * No porphyria * No hypersensitivity to porphyrins * Not pregnant or nursing * Negative pregnancy test * Fertile patients must use effective contraception PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY: * See Disease Characteristics