Preoperative Treatment With Cetuximab and/or IMC-A12

Inclusion Criteria

• Histologically or cytologically-confirmed diagnosis of squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck (excluding carcinomas of the nasopharynx types II and III according to the World Health Organization criteria), for whom surgical resection of the tumor is planned as part of the treatment. Patients with skin squamous cell carcinomas of the head and neck region will also be included in this study.
• There is availability of a baseline, paraffin-embedded, tumor specimen for biomarker evaluation. No anti-neoplastic treatment is allowed between the time from obtaining the baseline tumor specimen and randomization. If a baseline tumor specimen is not available, a biopsy of the tumor will be performed prior to randomization.
• Prior treatment with biological agents targeted to the epidermal growth factor receptor is allowed, provided the time from last exposure to this treatment was >/= 6 months.
• The patient has a fasting serum glucose /=60 mL/min for patients with creatinine levels above the ULN.
• Because the teratogenicity of cetuximab and IMC-A12 is not known, women of childbearing potential and men must agree to use adequate contraception (hormonal or barrier method of birth control; abstinence) prior to study entry and for the duration of study participation.
• The patient is age >/= 18 years.
• The patient or the patient's legally authorized representative has the ability to understand and the willingness to sign a written informed consent document.
• ECOG performance status of 0-2.

Exclusion Criteria

• Patients receiving any other agent (investigational or not) with potential anti-neoplastic activity within 3 weeks prior to obtaining the baseline tumor specimen for biomarker evaluation.
• Patients receiving concomitant radiation.
• Prior treatment with an agent targeted at the insulin-like growth factor-1 receptor.
• History of allergic reactions attributed to compounds of chemical and biological composition similar to those of cetuximab or IMC-A12.
• Pregnant patients, or patients who are breast feeding (patients who have a positive pregnancy test within the first 30 days before the first dose of treatment are excluded).
• Patients with uncontrolled illnesses which, in the opinion of the investigator, could be aggravated by the administration of the study drug(s).