Azacitidine and Cisplatin in Patients With Advanced Lung or Head and Neck Cancer

The standard of care for head and neck and lung cancer includes chemotherapy, radiation and surgery. For patients with cancer of head and neck or lung that recurs after surgery and/or radiation, or has spread to other parts of body, chemotherapy using cisplatin can slow down tumor growth and extend lifespan. The study drug, azacitidine, can block the ability of some cancer cells to replicate, and has been approved by the Food and Drug Administration for use in myelodysplastic syndrome, which is a slowly developing blood cell-related cancer. In laboratory and animal experiments using head and neck and lung cancer cells, azacitidine has been shown to be a cisplatin "helper", (that is, it makes cisplatin more effective in stopping the growth of head and neck and lung cancer. ) Since the combination of azacitidine and cisplatin has not been used in patients with head and neck or lung cancer, the investigators are performing this study combining azacitidine and cisplatin to find out what effects, good and/or bad, the study drug may have on patients with advanced head and neck or lung cancer. The investigators are doing this study because they would like to find a better treatment for these types of cancer.