OBJECTIVE: Evaluation of importance of serum levels of basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF) in patients with ovarian cancer, patients with border-line ovarian tumor, patients with benign ovarian cyst and women with normal ovarian tissue. DESIGN: Prospective clinical study. SETTING: Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Charles University, Faculty of Medicine in Hradec Kralove and University Hospital Hradec Kralove. METHODS: Measurement of serum levels of bFGF by ELISA using reagents of company R&D Systems prior to treatment in a total of 74 consecutive coming women. RESULTS: Serum level of bFGF from peripheral blood before treatment was significantly higher (p < 0.05) in patients with newly diagnosed ovarian cancer (n = 22), Med = 10.35 pg/ml (1.2-46.2 pg/ml) compared to patients with a border-line ovarian tumor (n = 9), Med = 5.4 pg/ml (1.6-6.8 pg/ml), patients with benign ovarian cyst (n = 24), Med = 5.2 pg/ml (0.1-67.2 pg/ml), and to women with normal ovarian tissue (n = 19) Med = 4.3 pg/ml (0.9-13.4 pg/ml). There isnt strong linear correlation (Spearmans rank correlation coefficient = 0.208791) between the serum level of bFGF and CA125 collected from peripheral blood before primary surgery or neoadjuvant chemotherapy in a group of patients with ovarian cancer (n = 14). We have not found significance correlation between age and serum levels of bFGF in patients with ovarian cancer, with border-line ovarian tumor, with benign ovarian cyst and in women with normal ovarian tissue. CONCLUSION: Serum levels of bFGF in patients with ovarian cancer are significantly higher than in patients with a border-line ovarian tumor, with benign ovarian cyst and in women with normal ovarian tissue regardless of age of patients.