OBJECTIVES: I. Gather additional information and experience regarding the preferred treatment from clinical trial SWOG-8892, chemoradiation for patients with advanced nasopharyngeal cancers (NPC). II. Evaluate survival and progression-free survival and patterns of tumor failure in this new group of patients. III. Assess severe or lethal toxicities that may be encountered after this regimen is employed more widely. IV. Collect NPC tumor specimens for ongoing and future clinical correlative research.