How to Answer: Can you explain to me, in layperson's terms, how radiation therapy kills cancer cells?
Advice and answer examples written specifically for a Radiation Therapists job interview.
31. Can you explain to me, in layperson's terms, how radiation therapy kills cancer cells?
Why the Interviewer Asks This Question
The interviewer asks this question to gain insight into your communication skills and knowledge of your profession. Demonstrate your expertise by explaining how the medicines and machinery you are responsible for operating assist with staving off cancer. Radiation equipment is specialized to target the cancerous cells while sparing the surrounding tissue. Talk about what is happening on a higher level, explaining the science behind it and how the treatment has proven effective. Part of fear comes from a lack of understanding, so it's crucial that you can describe how radiation therapy kills cancer cells in a way that your patients can easily understand.
Written by Krista Wenz on August 18th, 2023
1st Answer Example
"It's important that my patients fully understand how radiation works, so they can avoid unnecessary fear and come to appreciate how well radiation could work for them. I explain radiation like this: Normal cells grow and divide, forming new ones. But cancer cells do this much faster than normal cells. Radiation works by messing with the DNA of those cells, breaking up the cancer cells, causing them to die rather than grow and divide."
Written by Krista Wenz on August 18th, 2023
2nd Answer Example
"Radiation kills off cancer cells by damaging their genetic material, making them unable to divide and grow. Healthy cells can also be affected, but they recover after treatment is complete."
Written by Krista Wenz on August 18th, 2023
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