Researchers sequenced colorectal cancer samples stored for up to 93 years.

Techniques from ancient DNA research enabled recovery of highly degraded fragments.

Even pre–World War II samples retained canonical driver mutations (TP53, APC).

Microbial DNA, including Fusobacterium nucleatum, was detectable in century-old tissue.

Custom extraction produced the highest library quality despite severe degradation.

Findings suggest archival FFPE collections could illuminate long-term disease evolution.

Work may help explain the rise in early-onset colorectal cancer by comparing historical biology.