Nab-Paclitaxel, Cisplatin, and Cetuximab With Concurrent Radiation Therapy for Locally Advanced Head and Neck Cancer

DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS: * Histologically confirmed squamous cell carcinoma of the oropharynx, hypopharynx, or larynx * Diagnosis based on the primary lesion and/or lymph nodes * Stage III or IV disease (T2, N2-3, M0 or T3-4, any N, M0) * No primary tumor of the oral cavity, nasopharynx, sinuses, or salivary glands * No distant metastasis by chest x-ray, CT scan, or PET/CT scan within the past 6 weeks PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS: * Zubrod performance status 0-1 * ANC \> 1,500/mm\^3 * Platelet count \> 100,000/mm\^3 * Hemoglobin \> 9.0 g/dL (transfusion or other intervention to achieve hemoglobin \> 8.0 g/dL allowed) * Bilirubin ≤ 1.5 mg/dL * AST, ALT, and AP ≤ 2.5 times upper limit of normal * Serum creatinine ≤ 1.5 mg/dL * Creatinine clearance ≥ 50 mL/min * None of the following electrolyte abnormalities grade 3-4 by CTCAE v 3.0: * Calcium \< 7 mg/dL or \> 12.5 mg/dL * Glucose \< 40 mg/dL or \> 250 mg/dL * Magnesium \< 0.9 mg/dL or \> 3 mg/dL * Potassium \< 3 mmol/L or \> 6 mmol/L * Sodium \< 130 mmol/L or \> 155 mmol/L * Not pregnant or nursing * Negative pregnancy test * Fertile patients must use effective contraception * No other prior invasive malignancy, except for nonmelanomatous skin cancer, unless disease-free for ≥ 3 years * No prior allergic reaction to study drugs * No active cardiac disease, defined as any of the following: * Unstable angina * Uncontrolled hypertension * Myocardial infarction within the past 6 months (unless successfully treated with coronary artery bypass graft or percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty) * Uncontrolled arrhythmia * Congestive heart failure * Three or more heart-related hospitalizations within the past year * No severe chronic obstructive pulmonary disease requiring ≥ 3 hospitalizations within the past year * No AIDS * No pre-existing peripheral sensory neuropathy ≥ grade 2 * No concurrent medical illnesses that would impair patient tolerance to therapy or limit survival PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY: * No prior systemic chemotherapy for this cancer * Prior systemic chemotherapy for a different cancer allowed * No prior radiotherapy to the region of this cancer that would result in overlap of radiotherapy fields * No prior initial surgical treatment (excluding diagnostic biopsy of the primary site or nodal sampling of neck disease) * At least 48 hours since prior and no concurrent granulocytic growth factors (e.g., filgrastim \[G-CSF\]) during radiotherapy * No concurrent erythropoietic growth factors (e.g., darbepoetin, erythropoietin)