title: hTERT-based therapy: a universal anticancer approach (Review).
abstract: Human telomerase reverse transcriptase (hTERT) has been identiﬁed as a major             protein involved in aberrant cell proliferation, immortalization, metastasis and             stemness maintenance in a majority of tumors, yet it has little or no expression             in normal somatic cells. During the past few years, the development of hTERT-based             therapies such as immunotherapy, suicide gene therapy and small-molecule interfering             therapy have become critical and specific for eradicating all types of cancer.             Here, current knowledge regarding hTERT and its involvement in various cancers             and its role as a target of cancer therapies are reviewed. Additionally, hurdles             to new cancer therapy development and new therapeutic opportunities are described,             along with areas that require further investigation.
authors.affiliation: Department of Gastroenterology, Xinqiao Hospital, Third Military Medical University, Chongqing 400037, PR China.
authors.forename: Mu-Han
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: Lü
authors.forename: Zhong-Li
authors.initials: ZL
authors.lastname: Liao
authors.forename: Xiao-Yan
authors.initials: XY
authors.lastname: Zhao
authors.forename: Ya-Han
authors.initials: YH
authors.lastname: Fan
authors.forename: Xian-Long
authors.initials: XL
authors.lastname: Lin
authors.forename: Dian-Chun
authors.initials: DC
authors.lastname: Fang
authors.forename: Hong
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Guo
authors.forename: Shi-Ming
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Yang
mesh_terms: D017209:Apoptosis; D049109:Cell Proliferation; D015316:Genetic Therapy; D006801:Humans; D007167:Immunotherapy; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology; D019098:Telomerase / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics
chemical_list: C509186:TERT protein, human; D019098:Telomerase