All therapeutic transgene expression (for both proapoptotic genes and prodrug converting catalytic enzymes) by these systems occurred in a cancer-specific manner and at a high level in a wide range of cancer types of both human and murine backgrounds (fibrosarcoma, lung adenocarcinoma, colon cancer, osteosarcoma, etc.), demonstrating the broad applicability of human TERT promoter-driven gene therapeutics. This evidence concerns the gene TERT and cancer.