Biomarkers in Predicting Response to Treatment in Patients With Newly Diagnosed Stage III or Stage IV Head and Neck Cancer Treated With Carboplatin, Paclitaxel, and Radiation Therapy

RATIONALE: Studying samples of tumor tissue from patients with cancer in the laboratory may help doctors learn more about changes that occur in DNA and identify biomarkers related to cancer. It may also help doctors predict how patients will respond to treatment. PURPOSE: This research study is looking at biomarkers in predicting response to treatment in patients with newly diagnosed stage III or stage IV head and neck cancer treated with carboplatin, paclitaxel, and radiation therapy.