Many unanswered questions, my sister has breast cancer

blistasista,

I'm sorry about your sister's diagnosis.

The test that was done on the first two nodes while your sister was in surgery was just a preliminary test.  Even if those nodes had tested to be negative, they would have been analysed again in much more detail by the pathologist after the surgery was done.   Sometimes a negative result on the nodes based on the assessment that's done during the surgery actually turns into a positive result once the more thorough pathological assessment is done after surgery; sometimes the amount of cancer in the nodes is very small and isn't found during that first quick assessment.  This is the same reason why a quick test of the other removed nodes isn't being done. With the surgery complete, there is no reason to rush the assessment - what your sister's doctors want is a very thorough, detailed assessment to make sure that nothing is missed. 

Would they already know what type of cancer she has and at what stage she would be or will this depend on these results?  Usually the type of cancer is known from the biopsy results.  But the staging won't be known until the final pathology report from the surgery is available, detailing the size of the area of cancer, and the number of positive nodes.  If she has not already had these tests, the oncologist may send your sister for other tests, perhaps a PET scan or CT scan, as final information to complete the staging.

As someone who has had breast cancer, and who has dealt with several family members with cancer, I know what it's like to be on both sides of that line. In many ways it is more difficult being the family member, because you have to take the lead from the patient - you can gently offer advice and make suggestions but they get to choose what questions they ask and what treatments they opt for.  And that is the case here.  This is your sister's diagnosis and it is her decision on how she wants to deal with her medical team, how shedeals with the diagnosis, and how she wants to deal with other people as she goes through this.  If she's not angry, that's good - but that might change tomorrow.  We all go through a wide range of emotions through this process.  Take your lead from her; let her know that you are there and provide her with the support she needs based on what she asks for, how she is feeling and how she is dealing with things.