The role of chemotherapy in metastatic head and neck cancer is limited to palliation of the symptoms of disease. Platinum and 5-fluorouracil combinations remain standard first line treatment strategies. The taxanes have been shown to have similar efficacy to such first line regimens and are often used as salvage treatment for patients with metastatic disease. Given that docetaxel has documented clinical efficacy in head and neck cancer and that there are preclinical data to suggest synergy with docetaxel and capecitabine, it is reasonable to consider using these agents in combination to treat head and neck cancer patients. Moreover, capecitabine and docetaxel have distinct mechanisms of action and no overlap of key toxicities. A recent phase I/II study by Tonkin, et al. in metastatic breast cancer patients demonstrated activity and less toxicity when docetaxel 30 mg/m2/week (day 1 and 8 q21 days) was combined with capecitabine 1800 mg/m2/day (14 of 21 days). In another phase I study by Nadella, et al. weekly docetaxel (36 mg/m2 ) was combined with 14 days of capecitabine (up to 1500 mg/m2/day) over a course of 28 days. Antitumor responses were observed in patients with breast, colon, and bladder cancers. Hence, we propose this study whereby patients with previously treated, metastatic/recurrent head and neck cancer will receive treatment with docetaxel and capecitabine.