The Power of Early Detection and the Promise of the CIZ1B Biomarker Blood Test for Lung Cancer—A Leading Oncologist’s Perspective

As a medical oncologist and clinical researcher, Jessica Trevino Jones, M.D., is leading an ambitious effort to redefine how—and when—cancer care begins.

The founder and director of the Cancer Risk Reduction and Education (CaRE) Program at UT Health San Antonio MD Anderson, Jones leads this innovative clinic in providing personalized cancer risk assessments and coordinated prevention strategies for patients with elevated genetic or environmental risk factors. “The best care is preventative care,” Jones explained. “We’re building a novel clinical care model designed to provide the earliest possible diagnoses and the most proactive measure before cancer even develops.”

Now, her clinic is preparing to take a leading role in a clinical trial for Cizzle Bio’s CIZ1B biomarker blood test, a promising new tool for early lung cancer detection. And according to Jones, the test has the potential to change everything about providing care for high-risk patients.

“I’m most excited for science like CIZ1B,” she said. “It allows us to better target, triage, and escalate care for high-risk patients—and potentially detect this quiet, difficult-to-diagnose cancer at its most curable stage.”

Why Early Detection is Critical

Lung cancer is the deadliest form of cancer in the United States and globally, mainly because it is often found too late for effective treatment. Low-dose CT scans (LDCT), the current recommended screening tool, are underused and even when performed, often result in ambiguous findings. “There are numerous barriers that exist for patients when it comes to lung cancer screening,” said Jones. “Traditional scans can lead to more anxiety, over testing, and overtreatment.”

That is why the potential of the CIZ1B test is so meaningful. “This is groundbreaking,” Jones said. “It gives us the chance to find lung cancer earlier—and to spare patients from chemotherapy, immunotherapy, or radiation altogether. Surgery alone could cure them if we catch it early enough.”

Jones emphasized that early detection is not just about identifying cancer, it is also about changing lives. “You’re saving someone from months of toxic treatment, from the financial burden of cancer care, and from the trauma that comes with a late-stage diagnosis.”

CIZ1B as a Game-Changer in Screening and Prevention

Unlike blood tests that rely on detecting tumor fragments such as circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA), which may not be present in early-stage disease, CIZ1B is a true biomarker—highly sensitive and specific to early-stage lung cancer.

“I’m more eager to learn about true biomarkers like CIZ1B,” Jones added. “It reduces the risk of missing something due to tumor heterogeneity. It is a better equalizer that can overcome variables like age, race, and tumor biology.”

Because of its simplicity, a standard blood draw requiring less than a tablespoon of blood, the test also holds promise for use in underserved and rural populations, where access to advanced imaging and specialists is limited. “Not everyone can take two hours off work to drive to a CT facility,” she noted. “CIZ1B could bring precision prevention to patients who have historically been left out of early detection efforts.”

Launching a Clinical Trial to Expand Access

Under Jones’s leadership, UT Health San Antonio will soon launch a clinical trial using the CIZ1B biomarker blood test in targeted high-risk populations. The study will include:

• Patients who meet U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) guidelines for lung cancer screening

• Patients with indeterminate lung nodules

• San Antonio firefighters, whose occupational exposure puts them at elevated risk but who fall outside traditional screening protocols

“Firefighters are not covered under current screening guidelines,” she explained. “But we know their exposures put them at increased risk for lung cancer. They are civil servants who put their lives at risk every day, and we are eager to protect them.”

The trial, she said, will not only generate important preliminary data but also help validate CIZ1B as a tool for broader clinical use. “It is already difficult to encourage patients to undergo a low-dose CT, which is the current recommended screening tool. A biomarker like this could make earlier detection easier by making it safer, faster, and more accessible.”

Building an Early Detection Model for the Future

Jones sees the integration of biomarker testing like CIZ1B as central to her clinic’s mission of precision prevention. “We’re building a model that can be replicated nationally—a way to deliver oncology-level expertise before patients ever develop cancer,” she explained. “I hope to help create special training or certification so this model can scale, even if an oncologist is not always providing the care.”

Jones is also a fierce advocate for scientific rigor in biomarker development. “There are platforms out there now that are not based on strong science,” she cautioned. “That is why it is so important that the best products, like CIZ1B, are the ones that move forward. We not only need innovation, but we also need excellence.”

Changing the Future with Life-Saving Innovation

As both a scientist and a physician, Jones acknowledges the potential of an early detection biomarker tool in improving care for patients. “When you can offer care that is minimally invasive, integrates early into oncology, and reaches people where they are—that is how we change outcomes.”

Jones sees CIZ1B as part of that future. “This is a life-saving science. It is accessible, it is grounded in excellent research, and it has the potential to change how we detect and treat cancer not just in one clinic, but across the country.”

To learn more about Cizzle Bio’s CIZ1B biomarker blood test and its role in advancing early lung cancer detection, please visit www.cizzlebio.com.