Disclosed are compositions and methods for achieving successful treatment of disorders of the 
human prostate. In preferred embodiments, methods and compositions are provided that improve the specificity and safety of 
gene delivery vectors, and improve the 
prostate-specificity and activity of genetic constructs targeted for 
prostate-specific expression. Also disclosed are methods utilizing a variety of therapeutic genes, including those encoding tumor-specific therapeutics, e.g., TRAIL, tumor suppressors, cytotoxins, and the like, for the treatment of proliferative disorders of the 
prostate, and in particular, prostatic 
hyperplasia, 
prostate cancer and prostatic tumors. In preferred embodiments genetic constructs are disclosed comprising one or more prostate-specific chimeric 
enhancer elements in combination with one or more wildtype core 
enhancer elements and a prostate-specific proximal 
promoter that increase expression of selected 
heterologous genes operably positioned under their control.