DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS: Histologically confirmed squamous cell cancer of the head and neck suitable for treatment with radiotherapy T2, T3, or T4 primary lesions Any N No distant metastasis May also be anaplastic carcinoma, verrucous carcinoma, or transitional cell carcinoma (as of 1/97) No occult primaries (as of 1/97) No adenocarcinomas, lymphomas, or melanomas (as of 1/97) Synchronous head and neck tumors are eligible (tumor with the worse prognosis is entered into study) (as of 1/97) Patients receiving surgery to neck nodes only must be randomized as surgery patients (as of 1/97) Patients with tumors of the oral cavity or oropharynx may additionally elect randomization to nodal irradiation vs. no further therapy provided there is no second primary