Through October, government statistics show that 5,289 patients had enrolled in the program.
More than 10,000 patients enrolled in the study.
Most patients would enroll in health maintenance organizations.
Among Medicare patients enrolled in managed care, 36 percent underwent surgery at lower-risk hospitals.
But some researchers question whether patients would enroll in clinical trials if they could get an experimental drug outside the trials.
Ideally, patients enroll about three months before death.
Typically, these states require patients to enroll in some form of managed care, which limits their freedom to choose doctors and hospitals.
After 117 patients had enrolled, folic acid and vitamin B12 were added to reduce toxic effects.
By August 1995, only 9 patients had enrolled and the clinical trials were closed before being completed.
Under the original guidelines of the research project, patients could enroll only within 28 days after their breast cancer was diagnosed.
