And we have a name!

This one is for you rebel James!

After much waiting we have some information from the specialists of the specialists!  There is still no news on  if they consider it cancerous like my current doctors do, but we do have a name as to the type of tumor.  It is:

anaplastic astrocytoma!  
(think Jeopardy music)

Here is some information on what astrocytoma is:"Anaplastic astrocytoma is a primary grade III (malignant) brain tumor. Anaplastic astrocytoma comprises about 4 percent of all primary brain tumors diagnosed in the United States. An anaplastic astrocytoma can start out as a grade III tumor or be a reoccurrence of a lower-grade, previously treated grade II astrocytoma."  (mybiopsy.org)

However, my tumor still holds its James Dean status.  Normally anaplastic astrocytomas are quick growing, but my tumor has been in existence for an estimated five to ten years.  The fact that mine is so slow growing is what brings some doubt to the cancerous diagnosis.  Otherwise though, my tumor meets the anaplastic astrocytoma status pretty well.  I of course have to get one of the more rare types of brain tumors, and I have also learned that it tends to happen more in men than women.  Go me!  That's what I get for getting a mystery men's tumor in my brain; now the odd will always happen to me first.