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. )