Spleen cancer. Light micrograph of a section through tissue from the spleen showing a follicular structure (centre) formed in non- Hodgkin's lymphoma, a cancer of lymph tissue. The lymphatic system plays an important role in the immune system, and the cancer severely weakens the immune response. This makes the patient more susceptible to infections, and makes normally harmless infections potentially life threatening. The cancer causes swelling of lymph nodes and enlargement of the spleen and liver. Radiotherapy, chemotherapy and bone marrow transplants may provide a cure, but most patients die from infections. Magnification unknown.