Increased angiogenesis is observed both in the inflammatory and in the neoplasmatic tissue. The aim of the study was to assess the diagnostic significance of serum concentration of vascular-endothelial growth factor (sVEGF) and basic fibroblast growth factor (sbFGF) in the various forms of lymphadenopathy in children. Ninety-four children with lymphadenopathy were studied: group A, 52 patients with lymphadenitis; group B, 42 patients with lymphomas. Group B was divided into subgroups: B(P), children with lymphomas in peripheral lymph nodes and B(M), children with lymphomas in peripheral lymph nodes and mediastinal tumor. The healthy control group was 20 children. Using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays the authors quantified VEGF and bFGF in serum of healthy children and of children with lymphadenopathy. The sVEGF in group A was significantly higher than controls (313.8 versus 44.6 pg/mL; P <.05) and in group B was 633.4 pg/mL and was significantly higher than controls (P <.0001). The sVEGF and bFGF in group A versus subgroup B(P) were significantly lower (P(VEGF) <.05, P(bFGF) <.05), and sVEGF in subgroup B(P) versus B(M) was significantly lower (P <.05). These results show that the evaluation of serum VEGF concentration might be useful as noninvasive diagnosis of some chronic peripheral lymphadenopathies in children.