**2.2 Early intervention**

As the 2-D-western blot protocol detects cancer early, well in advance of clinical symptoms, the opportunity to combine early detection with early intervention as a potentially curative prevention strategy for cancer by eliminating the disease in its very earliest stages is unique. The approach to early intervention is based on previous work in cell culture models showing that ENOX2 proteins are required to support the unregulated growth that typifies cancer cells. If the growth function of ENOX2 is blocked for 48 to 72 h, the cancer cells cannot enlarge following division, cannot pass the checkpoint in G1 that monitors cell size and eventually undergo programmed cell death (apoptosis) (Morré and Morré, 2003b; De Luca et al., 2010) as diagrammed in Figure 1. Among the early intervention strategies under investigation are several targeted to ENOX2, production of ENOX2-directed vaccines being one promising example. Recombinant ENOX2 peptides that exhibit cancer specificity are employed as antigens. Other forms of ENOX2-directed therapeutic interventions under study include use of dietary modulators (Morré et al., 2009b). Most advanced are studies with herbal mixtures of green tea and powders of ground chili peppers (*Capsicum* species) from efficacious pepper sources (e.g. guajillo or ancho) with levels of capsaicin, the pungent principle of chili peppers, sufficiently low so as to not cause discomfort.
