Herceptin In Patients With Advanced or Metastatic Salivary Gland Carcinomas

Inclusion Criteria

DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS: Histologically proven locally unresectable or metastatic
malignancy arising from salivary tissue Adenoid cystic carcinoma Polymorphous low grade
adenocarcinoma Mucoepidermoid carcinoma Undifferentiated carcinoma Acinic cell carcinoma
Squamous cell carcinoma Malignant mixed tumor Adenocarcinoma Unidimensionally measurable
disease Overexpression of Her2/neu protein

PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS: Age: 18 and over Performance status: ECOG 0 or 1 Life expectancy:
Greater than 3 months Hematopoietic: Absolute neutrophil count greater than 1999/mm3
Platelet count greater than 99,999/mm3 Hemoglobin greater than 8.5 g/dL OR Hematocrit
greater than 25% Hepatic: Bilirubin less than 2 times upper limit of normal (ULN) SGOT
less than 2 times ULN (less than 5 times ULN if liver involvement) Alkaline phosphatase
less than 5 times ULN (no restriction if bone or liver involvement) Renal: Creatinine less
than 1.5 times ULN OR Creatinine clearance at least 50% lower limit of normal
Cardiovascular: Must have normal cardiac contractility by MUGA if received prior
anthracyclines (doxorubicin, daunorubicin, epirubicin) No congestive heart failure
Pulmonary: No chronic obstructive pulmonary disease Other: No prior other malignancy with
past 3 years except curatively treated nonmelanoma skin cancer or cervical cancer No
significant active illness No uncontrolled diabetes No AIDS Not pregnant or nursing
Fertile patients must use effective contraception

PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY: Biologic therapy: At least 4 weeks since prior immunologic
therapy No other concurrent immunologic therapy Chemotherapy: No more than 2 prior
regimens of cytotoxic chemotherapy for salivary gland cancer No prior doxorubicin of more
than 360 mg/m2 No concurrent chemotherapy Endocrine therapy: At least 4 weeks since prior
hormonal therapy No concurrent hormonal therapy Radiotherapy: No concurrent radiotherapy
Surgery: Not specified Other: At least 4 weeks since prior homeopathic, natural, or
alternative medicine therapy No concurrent homeopathic, natural, or alternative medicine
therapy